Game The Most Disliked "Hey, This Planet Is Just Like Earth!" Episode

[Sakonna]

Next up in these themed elimination games: "Hey, This Planet Is Just Like Earth!" Episodes

Now I see why crews from TNG on used the holodeck so much. They were coping with a shortage of Earth-copy planets. Back in the 23rd century, there was no need to retreat to holographic versions of Earth's past, because you were constantly tripping over real planets with past Earth societies actually living on them...

THE RULES. The basic idea is your standard elimination game. Below is a list of episodes from TOS, TNG, VOY, ENT, and DIS in which the crews encounter planets that seem just like Earth in some key respects. Eliminate your 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.

Leave at least 2 eliminations by other posters before you eliminate another episode.

No tactical voting! You cannot remove an episode just because you feel it would threaten your preferred episode's chance to win.

Finally, thanks to @Farscape One for vetting the list with me!

Enjoy!

TOS, Season 1: "Miri"
TOS, Season 1: “The Squire Of Gothos”
TOS, Season 2: “Who Mourns For Adonais?”
TOS, Season 2: “Catspaw”
TOS, Season 2: “A Piece Of The Action”
TOS, Season 2: “Patterns Of Force”
TOS, Season 2: “The Omega Glory”
TOS, Season 2: “Bread And Circuses”
TOS, Season 3: “The Paradise Syndrome”
TOS, Season 3: “Spectre Of The Gun”
TOS, Season 3: “Plato’s Stepchildren”
TNG, Season 2: “The Royale”
TNG, Season 7: “Sub Rosa”
VOY, Season 5: “In The Flesh”
ENT, Season 3: “North Star”
DIS, Season 2: “New Eden”

 

[Seven of Five]

I need to save Piece of the Action. I love this one so much, and was a perfect response to the identical planet scenario.

I have Kirk trying to fit in engrained in my brain with his speech and movements.

TOS, Season 1: "Miri"
TOS, Season 1: “The Squire Of Gothos”
TOS, Season 2: “Who Mourns For Adonais?”
TOS, Season 2: “Catspaw”
TOS, Season 2: “Patterns Of Force”
TOS, Season 2: “The Omega Glory”
TOS, Season 2: “Bread And Circuses”
TOS, Season 3: “The Paradise Syndrome”
TOS, Season 3: “Spectre Of The Gun”
TOS, Season 3: “Plato’s Stepchildren”
TNG, Season 2: “The Royale”
TNG, Season 7: “Sub Rosa”
VOY, Season 5: “In The Flesh”
ENT, Season 3: “North Star”
DIS, Season 2: “New Eden”

 

[Relayer1]

I dislike them all equally.

Certainly equally enough not to want to revisit any of them to rank them.

 

[Joanna McCoy-Kirk]

I'm saving "The Squire of Gothos". Great performance by William Campbell as the Squire.

TOS, Season 1: "Miri"
TOS, Season 2: “Who Mourns For Adonais?”
TOS, Season 2: “Catspaw”
TOS, Season 2: “Patterns Of Force”
TOS, Season 2: “The Omega Glory”
TOS, Season 2: “Bread And Circuses”
TOS, Season 3: “The Paradise Syndrome”
TOS, Season 3: “Spectre Of The Gun”
TOS, Season 3: “Plato’s Stepchildren”
TNG, Season 2: “The Royale”
TNG, Season 7: “Sub Rosa”
VOY, Season 5: “In The Flesh”
ENT, Season 3: “North Star”
DIS, Season 2: “New Eden”

 

[Brennyren]

The "Spectre of the Gun" fades away. Partly for the weird surrealist vibe -- this "Earth" was fake and didn't care who knew it -- and partly for sending De Kelley back to the OK Corral. But mostly for a personal reason: this is the show that inadvertently got me hooked on Star Trek.

I'll explain: My dad watched the series in its original run. When it came back in syndication in the 1970s, I had this vague memory of a spacy "western" episode, and decided to look for it. Well, I must have missed it a time or two, because by the time I saw "Spectre" I had already seen most of the rest of the series twice. And the rest, as they say, is history.

TOS, Season 1: "Miri"
TOS, Season 2: “Who Mourns For Adonais?”
TOS, Season 2: “Catspaw”
TOS, Season 2: “Patterns Of Force”
TOS, Season 2: “The Omega Glory”
TOS, Season 2: “Bread And Circuses”
TOS, Season 3: “The Paradise Syndrome”
TOS, Season 3: “Plato’s Stepchildren”
TNG, Season 2: “The Royale”
TNG, Season 7: “Sub Rosa”
VOY, Season 5: “In The Flesh”
ENT, Season 3: “North Star”
DIS, Season 2: “New Eden”

 

[Sakonna]

"New Eden" is a great episode, a perfect blend of serialized and episodic storytelling.

TOS, Season 1: "Miri"
TOS, Season 2: “Who Mourns For Adonais?”
TOS, Season 2: “Catspaw”
TOS, Season 2: “Patterns Of Force”
TOS, Season 2: “The Omega Glory”
TOS, Season 2: “Bread And Circuses”
TOS, Season 3: “The Paradise Syndrome”
TOS, Season 3: “Plato’s Stepchildren”
TNG, Season 2: “The Royale”
TNG, Season 7: “Sub Rosa”
VOY, Season 5: “In The Flesh”
ENT, Season 3: “North Star”

 

[Seven of Five]

I always liked In the Flesh, even if it meant that it was the end of Species 8472. Making peace with even our most feared enemies has a nice ring to it. I also thought the relationship Chakotay had with Kate was nice as well.

TOS, Season 1: "Miri"
TOS, Season 2: “Who Mourns For Adonais?”
TOS, Season 2: “Catspaw”
TOS, Season 2: “Patterns Of Force”
TOS, Season 2: “The Omega Glory”
TOS, Season 2: “Bread And Circuses”
TOS, Season 3: “The Paradise Syndrome”
TOS, Season 3: “Plato’s Stepchildren”
TNG, Season 2: “The Royale”
TNG, Season 7: “Sub Rosa”
ENT, Season 3: “North Star”

 

[Sakonna]

I always liked In the Flesh, even if it meant that it was the end of Species 8472. Making peace with even our most feared enemies has a nice ring to it. I also thought the relationship Chakotay had with Kate was nice as well.

Also, Arturis was right! Species 8472 turned out to be so agreeable, Janeway really did screw things up for the rest of the galaxy by saving the Borg from them!

Not to mention

Spoiler

how much better the future she erased in "Endgame" was, as compared to the actual "Picard" future the Federation is now suffering through.

Maybe this is a thread I should start in the Voyager forum... "Kathryn Janeway: Terrorizing Menace Of The Galaxy?"
"Has Any Trek Character Caused More Suffering Than Kathryn Janeway?"

 

[eschaton]

I've always had fond feelings for The Royale, even though it's considered to be a "bad episode." IMHO it was one of the stronger second season TNG episodes. I've always seen it as more of an honorary "holodeck episode" than an alternate earth episode though.

TOS, Season 1: "Miri"
TOS, Season 2: “Who Mourns For Adonais?”
TOS, Season 2: “Catspaw”
TOS, Season 2: “Patterns Of Force”
TOS, Season 2: “The Omega Glory”
TOS, Season 2: “Bread And Circuses”
TOS, Season 3: “The Paradise Syndrome”
TOS, Season 3: “Plato’s Stepchildren”
TNG, Season 7: “Sub Rosa”
ENT, Season 3: “North Star”

 

[Farscape One]

All the ones I would have voted on first have been saved.

So my first save will be "BREAD AND CIRCUSES".

I've always liked sword and sandals stuff, and seeing a 20th century Romsn Empire was cool to see. A lot of great scenes, including McCoy thanking Spock... that whole exchange was excellent. And Kirk telling Flavius he isn't sure that Spock and McCoy think they are enemies or not.

And Kirk's 'torture'... not a bad fate to befall a captain.

And of course the meta joke about the network doing a 'special' on Flavius.


TOS, Season 1: "Miri"
TOS, Season 2: “Who Mourns For Adonais?”
TOS, Season 2: “Catspaw”
TOS, Season 2: “Patterns Of Force”
TOS, Season 2: “The Omega Glory”
TOS, Season 3: “The Paradise Syndrome”
TOS, Season 3: “Plato’s Stepchildren”
TNG, Season 7: “Sub Rosa”
ENT, Season 3: “North Star”

 

[Vger23]

I know I'm an outlier on this opinion, but I've always LOVED "The Omega Glory." Yes, it's a bit silly with the whole "Khoms" and "Yangs" thing, as well as the ending with the E Pleb Nesta (although a GREAT Shatner moment!!), but I love the sense of dread and the intensity of the whole thing. I also think Morgan Woodward is a fantastic Star Trek villain. Maybe one of my favorites from the whole TOS series.

TOS, Season 1: "Miri"
TOS, Season 2: “Who Mourns For Adonais?”
TOS, Season 2: “Catspaw”
TOS, Season 2: “Patterns Of Force”
TOS, Season 3: “The Paradise Syndrome”
TOS, Season 3: “Plato’s Stepchildren”
TNG, Season 7: “Sub Rosa”
ENT, Season 3: “North Star”

 

[Sakonna]

I will save "Sub Rosa", which I have honestly seen about as many times as "Yesterday's Enterprise." It is iconic so-bad-it's-good-Trek to me.

Also, the planet literally being a recreation of Scotland is the perfect demented icing on this crazy cake. So ridiculous!

Damn, I might need to put on "Sub Rosa" again right now... I was also name-checking it in the Comfort Food Trek thread the other day...

TOS, Season 1: "Miri"
TOS, Season 2: “Who Mourns For Adonais?”
TOS, Season 2: “Catspaw”
TOS, Season 2: “Patterns Of Force”
TOS, Season 3: “The Paradise Syndrome”
TOS, Season 3: “Plato’s Stepchildren”
ENT, Season 3: “North Star”

 

[frankieteardrop]

I will save "Sub Rosa", which I have honestly seen about as many times as "Yesterday's Enterprise." It is iconic so-bad-it's-good-Trek to me.

Also, the planet literally being a recreation of Scotland is the perfect demented icing on this crazy cake. So ridiculous!

Damn, I might need to put on "Sub Rosa" again right now... I was also name-checking it in the Comfort Food Trek thread the other day...

I feel the same way about "Sub Rosa." It's so deliciously camp, but in a way that seems utterly unintentional (which makes it even better). You might appreciate this poster art as much as I do.

 

[Vger23]

Some of you all are gluttons for punishment!

 

[Qonundrum]

Wow. I missed a few or missed a chance to save a few earlier.

There are a couple saving graces (and a really big one ) to:

TOS, Season 2: “Who Mourns For Adonais?”​

It's Earthlike, especially near-prehistoric Earth in terms of how Apollo thinks humans have to be.

It had great special effects.

It had the hottest guest star of all time.

The underpinnings of a great plot point in sci-fi - having to revert to a simple, agrarian society, do stem to this episode.

And, of course, the greatest photoshopping of all time:

What's left:

TOS, Season 1: "Miri"
TOS, Season 2: “Catspaw”
TOS, Season 2: “Patterns Of Force”
TOS, Season 3: “The Paradise Syndrome”
TOS, Season 3: “Plato’s Stepchildren”
ENT, Season 3: “North Star”

 

[Qonundrum]

I feel the same way about "Sub Rosa." It's so deliciously camp, but in a way that seems utterly unintentional (which makes it even better). You might appreciate this poster art as much as I do.

Wow, that is good artwork!


Naturally, you know what's coming next:

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[Vger23]

I've got to save "Patters of Force." Yes, it's a bit of a ridiculous episode...but any episode that has Spock declaring that Kirk is a "convincing Nazi" has to get points for something.

Also: "LIEUTENNANT............YOUR HELMET.......REMOVE IT...."

TOS, Season 1: "Miri"
TOS, Season 2: “Catspaw”
TOS, Season 3: “The Paradise Syndrome”
TOS, Season 3: “Plato’s Stepchildren”
ENT, Season 3: “North Star”

 

[Tim Thomason]

I think I'll save Catspaw, which, while not the most classic of episodes, is at least a fun romp, which doesn't have humans inexplicably on a distant planet, but really advanced aliens (Old Ones, even) just messing with our heroes' minds. Yeah, it's a goofy Halloween episode, but that's just a consequence of Kirk and crew.

No alien abductions, no unexplained Second Earth. Just a more advanced alien race mimicking the cultural consciousness of a lesser race.

TOS, Season 1: "Miri"
TOS, Season 3: “The Paradise Syndrome”
TOS, Season 3: “Plato’s Stepchildren”
ENT, Season 3: “North Star”

 

[eschaton]

I feel the same way about "Sub Rosa." It's so deliciously camp, but in a way that seems utterly unintentional (which makes it even better). You might appreciate this poster art as much as I do.

Sub Rosa is an interesting episode because of how different it is from the rest of TNG. I don't just mean because it's Victorian horror/romance, but also because almost the entire episode takes place off the Enterprise, and roles for the non-Crusher characters are very minor. It really does feel like a script for some other show awkwardly ported over.

 

[eschaton]

I'm going to save North Star. It was derivative, and average, but there is nothing aggressively bad about it, which actually puts it significantly above a lot of Enterprise episodes.

I think Miri is actually a better episode, but I'll leave that for someone else to eliminate. One of the TOS Season 3 stinkers deserves to win this.

TOS, Season 1: "Miri"
TOS, Season 3: “The Paradise Syndrome”
TOS, Season 3: “Plato’s Stepchildren”