Game The Most Disliked Episode Written By D.C. Fontana

[Sakonna]

THE OBJECTIVE: A sudden-death elimination game in which we remove our personal favorite episodes from a themed list, until we arrive at the episode that is, if not the worst, at least the most disliked.

THE RULES: Below is a list of TOS, TAS, TNG, and DS9 episodes written (at least partially) by the incomparable D.C. Fontana.

Eliminate/save your favorite, or the one you deem the ‘best.’
Post something you love about the episode you are saving, and copy-and-paste the list with your choice removed.

You can use any standard you like to judge which option is "best." You can save episodes for being widely recognized “best Trek” classics, or for idiosyncratic qualities that no one appreciates but you.

But -- no tactical voting! You cannot remove an episode because you don’t think anyone else will, or because you feel it would threaten your preferred episode's chance to “win.”

You can take multiple turns. Leave at least 2 eliminations by other posters before you eliminate another episode.

New players are always welcome, you do not have to already be a "most disliked game" regular to dive in.

Enjoy!

TOS Season 1: "Charlie X" (teleplay)
TOS Season 1: "Tomorrow is Yesterday" (written)
TOS Season 1: "This Side of Paradise" (teleplay; story with Nathan Butler)
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child" (written)
TOS Season 2: "Journey to Babel" (written)
TOS Season 2: "By Any Other Name" (teleplay with Jerome Bixby)
TOS Season 2: "The Ultimate Computer" (teleplay)
TOS Season 3: "The Enterprise Incident" (written)
TOS Season 3: "That Which Survives" (story, as Michael Richards)
TOS Season 3: "The Way to Eden" (story with Arthur Heinemann, as Michael Richards)
TAS Season 1: "Yesteryear" (written)
TNG Season 1: "Encounter at Farpoint" (written with Gene Roddenberry)
TNG Season 1: "The Naked Now" (teleplay; story with John D.F. Black, as J. Michael Bingham)
TNG Season 1: "Lonely Among Us" (teleplay)
TNG Season 1: "Too Short a Season" (teleplay with Michael Michaelian)
TNG Season 1: "Heart of Glory" (story with Maurice Hurley and Herbert Wright)
DS9 Season 1: "Dax" (teleplay with Peter Allan Fields)

 

[Sakonna]

I don't often find myself saving TOS eps, but "Journey To Babel" to start. A true TOS highlight. The relationships it introduced are so rich, Trek is still actively exploring them 45 years later!

Also, in any Trek era I love a showcase for a lot of weird aliens, and this is a great early one.

TOS Season 1: "Charlie X" (teleplay)
TOS Season 1: "Tomorrow is Yesterday" (written)
TOS Season 1: "This Side of Paradise" (teleplay; story with Nathan Butler)
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child" (written)
TOS Season 2: "By Any Other Name" (teleplay with Jerome Bixby)
TOS Season 2: "The Ultimate Computer" (teleplay)
TOS Season 3: "The Enterprise Incident" (written)
TOS Season 3: "That Which Survives" (story, as Michael Richards)
TOS Season 3: "The Way to Eden" (story with Arthur Heinemann, as Michael Richards)
TAS Season 1: "Yesteryear" (written)
TNG Season 1: "Encounter at Farpoint" (written with Gene Roddenberry)
TNG Season 1: "The Naked Now" (teleplay; story with John D.F. Black, as J. Michael Bingham)
TNG Season 1: "Lonely Among Us" (teleplay)
TNG Season 1: "Too Short a Season" (teleplay with Michael Michaelian)
TNG Season 1: "Heart of Glory" (story with Maurice Hurley and Herbert Wright)
DS9 Season 1: "Dax" (teleplay with Peter Allan Fields)

 

[Vger23]

TOS "The Enterprise Incident" gets saved. Good worldbuilding episode, especially for TOS...and just a lot of fun.


TOS Season 1: "Charlie X" (teleplay)
TOS Season 1: "Tomorrow is Yesterday" (written)
TOS Season 1: "This Side of Paradise" (teleplay; story with Nathan Butler)
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child" (written)
TOS Season 2: "By Any Other Name" (teleplay with Jerome Bixby)
TOS Season 2: "The Ultimate Computer" (teleplay)
TOS Season 3: "That Which Survives" (story, as Michael Richards)
TOS Season 3: "The Way to Eden" (story with Arthur Heinemann, as Michael Richards)
TAS Season 1: "Yesteryear" (written)
TNG Season 1: "Encounter at Farpoint" (written with Gene Roddenberry)
TNG Season 1: "The Naked Now" (teleplay; story with John D.F. Black, as J. Michael Bingham)
TNG Season 1: "Lonely Among Us" (teleplay)
TNG Season 1: "Too Short a Season" (teleplay with Michael Michaelian)
TNG Season 1: "Heart of Glory" (story with Maurice Hurley and Herbert Wright)
DS9 Season 1: "Dax" (teleplay with Peter Allan Fields)

 

[Oddish]

A quick one, eh?

I'll save "Naked Now", then. Not one of TNG's better efforts, but it had Yar seducing Data in it.

TOS Season 1: "Charlie X" (teleplay)
TOS Season 1: "Tomorrow is Yesterday" (written)
TOS Season 1: "This Side of Paradise" (teleplay; story with Nathan Butler)
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child" (written)
TOS Season 2: "By Any Other Name" (teleplay with Jerome Bixby)
TOS Season 2: "The Ultimate Computer" (teleplay)
TOS Season 3: "That Which Survives" (story, as MichaelRichards)
TOS Season 3: "The Way to Eden"(story with Arthur Heinemann, as Michael Richards)
TAS Season 1: "Yesteryear" (written)
TNG Season 1: "Encounter at Farpoint" (written with Gene Roddenberry)
TNG Season 1: "Lonely Among Us"(teleplay)
TNG Season 1: "Too Short a Season" (teleplay with Michael Michaelian)
TNG Season 1: "Heart of Glory"(story with Maurice Hurley and Herbert Wright)
DS9 Season 1: "Dax" (teleplay with Peter Allan Fields)

 

[Joanna McCoy-Kirk]

"The Ultimate Computer," which I think is TOS's last great episode.

TOS Season 1: "Charlie X" (teleplay)
TOS Season 1: "Tomorrow is Yesterday" (written)
TOS Season 1: "This Side of Paradise" (teleplay; story with Nathan Butler)
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child" (written)
TOS Season 2: "By Any Other Name" (teleplay with Jerome Bixby)
TOS Season 3: "That Which Survives" (story, as MichaelRichards)
TOS Season 3: "The Way to Eden"(story with Arthur Heinemann, as Michael Richards)
TAS Season 1: "Yesteryear" (written)
TNG Season 1: "Encounter at Farpoint" (written with Gene Roddenberry)
TNG Season 1: "Lonely Among Us"(teleplay)
TNG Season 1: "Too Short a Season" (teleplay with Michael Michaelian)
TNG Season 1: "Heart of Glory"(story with Maurice Hurley and Herbert Wright)
DS9 Season 1: "Dax" (teleplay with Peter Allan Fields)​

 

[Sakonna]

I have always had a soft spot for the moody, dimly lit weirdness of "Too Short A Season."

TOS Season 1: "Charlie X" (teleplay)
TOS Season 1: "Tomorrow is Yesterday" (written)
TOS Season 1: "This Side of Paradise" (teleplay; story with Nathan Butler)
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child" (written)
TOS Season 2: "By Any Other Name" (teleplay with Jerome Bixby)
TOS Season 3: "That Which Survives" (story, as Michael Richards)
TOS Season 3: "The Way to Eden"(story with Arthur Heinemann, as Michael Richards)
TAS Season 1: "Yesteryear" (written)
TNG Season 1: "Encounter at Farpoint" (written with Gene Roddenberry)
TNG Season 1: "Lonely Among Us" (teleplay)
TNG Season 1: "Heart of Glory" (story with Maurice Hurley and Herbert Wright)
DS9 Season 1: "Dax" (teleplay with Peter Allan Fields)

 

[Orac]

I've saved That Which Survives because beauty survives.

TOS Season 1: "Charlie X" (teleplay)
TOS Season 1: "Tomorrow is Yesterday" (written)
TOS Season 1: "This Side of Paradise" (teleplay; story with Nathan Butler)
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child" (written)
TOS Season 2: "By Any Other Name" (teleplay with Jerome Bixby)
TOS Season 3: "The Way to Eden"(story with Arthur Heinemann, as Michael Richards)
TAS Season 1: "Yesteryear" (written)
TNG Season 1: "Encounter at Farpoint" (written with Gene Roddenberry)
TNG Season 1: "Lonely Among Us" (teleplay)
TNG Season 1: "Heart of Glory" (story with Maurice Hurley and Herbert Wright)
DS9 Season 1: "Dax" (teleplay with Peter Allan Fields)

 

[Farscape One]

Saving "YESTERYEAR".

Best TAS episode. Period.


TOS Season 1: "Charlie X" (teleplay)
TOS Season 1: "Tomorrow is Yesterday" (written)
TOS Season 1: "This Side of Paradise" (teleplay; story with Nathan Butler)
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child" (written)
TOS Season 2: "By Any Other Name" (teleplay with Jerome Bixby)
TOS Season 3: "The Way to Eden"(story with Arthur Heinemann, as Michael Richards)
TNG Season 1: "Encounter at Farpoint" (written with Gene Roddenberry)
TNG Season 1: "Lonely Among Us" (teleplay)
TNG Season 1: "Heart of Glory" (story with Maurice Hurley and Herbert Wright)
DS9 Season 1: "Dax" (teleplay with Peter Allan Fields)

 

[Summer Solstice]

"By Any Other Name" - I was terrified by the aliens when I first saw this episode. I love that the aliens were from another galaxy.


TOS Season 1: "Charlie X" (teleplay)
TOS Season 1: "Tomorrow is Yesterday" (written)
TOS Season 1: "This Side of Paradise" (teleplay; story with Nathan Butler)
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child" (written)
TOS Season 3: "The Way to Eden"(story with Arthur Heinemann, as Michael Richards)
TNG Season 1: "Encounter at Farpoint" (written with Gene Roddenberry)
TNG Season 1: "Lonely Among Us" (teleplay)
TNG Season 1: "Heart of Glory" (story with Maurice Hurley and Herbert Wright)
DS9 Season 1: "Dax" (teleplay with Peter Allan Fields)

 

[Brennyren]

The resolution of "Charlie X" is as haunting as it is inevitable..

TOS Season 1: "Tomorrow is Yesterday" (written)
TOS Season 1: "This Side of Paradise" (teleplay; story with Nathan Butler)
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child" (written)
TOS Season 3: "The Way to Eden"(story with Arthur Heinemann, as Michael Richards)
TNG Season 1: "Encounter at Farpoint" (written with Gene Roddenberry)
TNG Season 1: "Lonely Among Us" (teleplay)
TNG Season 1: "Heart of Glory" (story with Maurice Hurley and Herbert Wright)
DS9 Season 1: "Dax" (teleplay with Peter Allan Fields)

 

[Qonundrum]

Many left have a bit to nitpick, but one of the best is:

TNG Season 1: "Encounter at Farpoint" (written with Gene Roddenberry)
​

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That wig alone saved the entire series. So did the rest of Q underneath it. He might have started out as "Trelane with a punk-like, Gen-X edge and cool sartorial taste*" (despite written by people of the Silent generation but that's not important right now), but even in this premiere there's clearly a lot more going on than a singular and mysterious being with parents who sound like Barbara Babcock and Jimmy Doohan telling him to come home for dinner and to let his pets go. Thank goodness. John DeLancie was quick to hit the road running and by season 2 fully made it his own. Must've been a real blast to portray, actually...

That, and also https://www.inverse.com/culture/star-trek-the-next-generation-35-anniversary
(at least they indulged Gene on that. Some of his other ideas didn't get picked up, even if many episode rewrites got what he thought was the next best thing... eww...)

To be fair,

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Sans Q, what's left is a compelling plot revolving around some oversized space jellyfish and a guy with a big mop plopped unto his head conjuring up bowls of wax fruit out of nowhere, and only Troi saves the day because she's feeling strong emotions that nobody else can possibly figure out is a mixed bag. (But elevated by Troi's empathic ability being put to far better use and use other than all the scenes where she spouts "Captain, he's hiding what's obvious.") Well, that and the big space jellyfish powering the space station until the ship somehow provides more energy to it, in a way that's compatible and doesn't fry it into a big mess of protoplasm and goo. Like egg whites on a hot skillet... Also, eww...

Worse, they also go the cliche route by making one blue and the other pink, in case the audience was unable to comprehend any sci-fi notion that some species of critters (on this planet or any other) are not dimorphic and express sentient compassion in other ways. Like, ironically, the avian lifeforms colloquially referred to as "lovebirds". There's no way you can tell what the fun parts look like, based on feather hue/pattern, much less the old-fashioned method of flipping one over... It gets even more fun, but I'll let the article explain it completely.

* Honestly, how come that style of clothing with the cape, studs, codpiece, etc, haven't made a comeback? Decades of denim jeans and generic t-shirts with the current year emblazoned have as "style" been passe for centuries...


What's left:
TOS Season 1: "Tomorrow is Yesterday" (written)
TOS Season 1: "This Side of Paradise" (teleplay; story with Nathan Butler)
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child" (written)
TOS Season 3: "The Way to Eden"(story with Arthur Heinemann, as Michael Richards)
TNG Season 1: "Lonely Among Us" (teleplay)
TNG Season 1: "Heart of Glory" (story with Maurice Hurley and Herbert Wright)
DS9 Season 1: "Dax" (teleplay with Peter Allan Fields)

 

[Vger23]

Gonna save TNG “Heart of Glory,” which was a great early Worf episode and (in my opinion) one of TNG’s best Klingon episodes. Also, Vaughn Armstrong.

What's left:
TOS Season 1: "Tomorrow is Yesterday" (written)
TOS Season 1: "This Side of Paradise" (teleplay; story with Nathan Butler)
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child" (written)
TOS Season 3: "The Way to Eden"(story with Arthur Heinemann, as Michael Richards)
TNG Season 1: "Lonely Among Us" (teleplay)
DS9 Season 1: "Dax" (teleplay with Peter Allan Fields)

 

[Farscape One]

Well, I saved one series here, might as well do another.

Saving "DAX".

Good early story that raised an interesting symbiote question about crimes they may have committed.


TOS Season 1: "Tomorrow is Yesterday" (written)
TOS Season 1: "This Side of Paradise" (teleplay; story with Nathan Butler)
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child" (written)
TOS Season 3: "The Way to Eden"(story with Arthur Heinemann, as Michael Richards)
TNG Season 1: "Lonely Among Us" (teleplay)

 

[Seven of Five]

I love Tomorrow is Yesterday, so that's next. I always wonder if it would have been much different if it aired as a follow-on to The Naked Time as initially planned.

TOS Season 1: "This Side of Paradise" (teleplay; story with Nathan Butler)
TOS Season 2: "Friday's Child" (written)
TOS Season 3: "The Way to Eden"(story with Arthur Heinemann, as Michael Richards)
TNG Season 1: "Lonely Among Us" (teleplay)

 

[Brennyren]

Saving "Friday's Child" because I happen to think any excuse to cast Julie Newmar is a good one. A nice meaty role for my man De Kelley doesn't hurt either.

TOS Season 1: "This Side of Paradise" (teleplay; story with Nathan Butler)
TOS Season 3: "The Way to Eden"(story with Arthur Heinemann, as Michael Richards)
TNG Season 1: "Lonely Among Us" (teleplay)

 

[Farscape One]

My final vote for this game is "THIS SIDE OF PARADISE". Fontana wrote Spock very, very well every time.


TOS Season 3: "The Way to Eden"(story with Arthur Heinemann, as Michael Richards)
TNG Season 1: "Lonely Among Us" (teleplay)

 

[Richard S. Ta]

I'm taking out The Way To Eden because I reach. This episode is not half as bad as it's reputation would suggest.

TNG Season 1: "Lonely Among Us" (teleplay)

 

[Oddish]

And "Lonely Among Us"... well, it's lonely, and among us. TNG expands its lead.

 

[Farscape One]

I actually expected "THE WAY TO EDEN" to win. Maybe I'm just a Herbert...

 

[Oddish]

This game can surprise you. The "winning" episodes aren't always the really bad ones (I don't think "Threshold" has ever won one). They're just the ones no one cares enough about to save.