Game The Most Disliked Visit To Earth's Past

[Sakonna]

Hello all! Next up in these themed elimination games: Visit's to Earth's Past.

THE RULES. The basic idea is your standard elimination game. Below is a list of episodes from TOS, TAS, TNG, DS9, VOY, and ENT where our characters themselves travel to Earth's past (or we are otherwise shown events from Earth's past, excluding holodeck recreations). 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.

Finally, please 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.
Enjoy!

TNG, Season 7: “All Good Things…”, primordial Earth (and 2079)
TAS, Season 1: "The Magicks Of Megas-Tu", 1691
TNG, Season 5: “Time’s Arrow, Part 1”, 1893
TNG, Season 6: “Time’s Arrow, Part 2”, 1893
TOS, Season 1: “The City On The Edge Of Forever”, 1930
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 1”, 1944
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 2”, 1944
DS9, Season 4: “Little Green Men”, 1947
DS9, Season 6: “Far Beyond The Stars”, 1953
ENT, Season 2: “Carbon Creek”, 1957
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 1”, 1967 (and 1996)
TOS, Season 2: “Assignment: Earth”, 1968
TOS, Season 1: “Tomorrow Is Yesterday”, 1969
TOS Feature: “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home”, 1986
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 2”, 1996
VOY, Season 5: “11:59”, 2000 - 2001
ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street”, 2004
DS9, Season 3: “Past Tense, Part 1”, 2024
DS9, Season 3: “Past Tense, Part 2”, 2024
VOY, Season 6: "One Small Step" 2032
TNG Feature: “Star Trek: First Contact”, 2063
TNG, Season 1: “Encounter At Farpoint”, 2079
ENT, Season 2: "First Flight", 2143

 

[Sakonna]

I will kick it off with saving part 1 of my beloved "Time's Arrow." I love how it goes further back in time than most of these. The alien villains are creepy as hell. We add so much to the backstory of Guinan. Everything around Data's mortality and the reactions to that is exceptionally written, I love that sequence of Riker & Troi discussing it as they walk down the hall and then run into Data...

DATA: I am perceiving an apparent change in the way others behave toward me. For example, people abruptly end conversations when I appear, just as you did when the turbolift doors opened. Is that an accurate observation?
RIKER: Not at all.
TROI: (same time) Yes.
RIKER: Yes.
TROI: You're right, Data. And it's not a very nice thing to do
RIKER: It's just that our mental pathways have become accustomed to your sensory input patterns.
DATA: I understand. I am also fond of you, Commander. And you as well, Counselor.

TNG, Season 7: “All Good Things…”, primordial Earth (and 2079)
TAS, Season 1: "The Magicks Of Megas-Tu", 1691
TNG, Season 6: “Time’s Arrow, Part 2”, 1893
TOS, Season 1: “The City On The Edge Of Forever”, 1930
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 1”, 1944
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 2”, 1944
DS9, Season 4: “Little Green Men”, 1947
DS9, Season 6: “Far Beyond The Stars”, 1953
ENT, Season 2: “Carbon Creek”, 1957
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 1”, 1967 (and 1996)
TOS, Season 2: “Assignment: Earth”, 1968
TOS, Season 1: “Tomorrow Is Yesterday”, 1969
TOS Feature: “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home”, 1986
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 2”, 1996
VOY, Season 5: “11:59”, 2000 - 2001
ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street”, 2004
DS9, Season 3: “Past Tense, Part 1”, 2024
DS9, Season 3: “Past Tense, Part 2”, 2024
VOY, Season 6: "One Small Step" 2032
TNG Feature: “Star Trek: First Contact”, 2063
TNG, Season 1: “Encounter At Farpoint”, 2079
ENT, Season 2: "First Flight", 2143

 

[Qonundrum]

so many good ones...

TNG, Season 7: “All Good Things…”, primordial Earth (and 2079)

It is indeed a nice bookend to the series. How do people hate this one, was the mineral primordial ooze the wrong consistency? There's a fantastic use of time travel, Q makes big big promises for the upcoming TNG movies, and as a whole the finale was most satisfying. Picard being the cause of Earth's destruction (via temporal regression, squee!) was pretty ingenious. Loved the attention to detail given to the three different time periods, and that 1701-D Dreadnought refit is truly magnificent, and - indeed - the first time a ship with an odd number of nacelles looked more balanced than an even-numbered nacelle array.

But, yeah, I'd not like it too if the cause of life forming on this planet wasn't due to radiation or various forms of goo combining but Picard not going back in time in order to spit into the puddle.


What's left:

TAS, Season 1: "The Magicks Of Megas-Tu", 1691
TNG, Season 6: “Time’s Arrow, Part 2”, 1893
TOS, Season 1: “The City On The Edge Of Forever”, 1930
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 1”, 1944
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 2”, 1944
DS9, Season 4: “Little Green Men”, 1947
DS9, Season 6: “Far Beyond The Stars”, 1953
ENT, Season 2: “Carbon Creek”, 1957
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 1”, 1967 (and 1996)
TOS, Season 2: “Assignment: Earth”, 1968
TOS, Season 1: “Tomorrow Is Yesterday”, 1969
TOS Feature: “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home”, 1986
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 2”, 1996
VOY, Season 5: “11:59”, 2000 - 2001
ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street”, 2004
DS9, Season 3: “Past Tense, Part 1”, 2024
DS9, Season 3: “Past Tense, Part 2”, 2024
VOY, Season 6: "One Small Step" 2032
TNG Feature: “Star Trek: First Contact”, 2063
TNG, Season 1: “Encounter At Farpoint”, 2079
ENT, Season 2: "First Flight", 2143

 

[BillJ]

"The City on the Edge of Forever", just another episode that shows why TOS is so special.

TAS, Season 1: "The Magicks Of Megas-Tu", 1691
TNG, Season 6: “Time’s Arrow, Part 2”, 1893
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 1”, 1944
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 2”, 1944
DS9, Season 4: “Little Green Men”, 1947
DS9, Season 6: “Far Beyond The Stars”, 1953
ENT, Season 2: “Carbon Creek”, 1957
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 1”, 1967 (and 1996)
TOS, Season 2: “Assignment: Earth”, 1968
TOS, Season 1: “Tomorrow Is Yesterday”, 1969
TOS Feature: “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home”, 1986
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 2”, 1996
VOY, Season 5: “11:59”, 2000 - 2001
ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street”, 2004
DS9, Season 3: “Past Tense, Part 1”, 2024
DS9, Season 3: “Past Tense, Part 2”, 2024
VOY, Season 6: "One Small Step" 2032
TNG Feature: “Star Trek: First Contact”, 2063
TNG, Season 1: “Encounter At Farpoint”, 2079
ENT, Season 2: "First Flight", 2143

 

[Cyfa]

Ooh, tough choice, but my absolute favourite has to be ST IV: The Voyage Home - for its sheer exuberance, fun, and "Admiral, there be whales here!". I can watch TVH over and over and not get bored, so that's the one I'm going to save.

TAS, Season 1: "The Magicks Of Megas-Tu", 1691
TNG, Season 6: “Time’s Arrow, Part 2”, 1893
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 1”, 1944
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 2”, 1944
DS9, Season 4: “Little Green Men”, 1947
DS9, Season 6: “Far Beyond The Stars”, 1953
ENT, Season 2: “Carbon Creek”, 1957
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 1”, 1967 (and 1996)
TOS, Season 2: “Assignment: Earth”, 1968
TOS, Season 1: “Tomorrow Is Yesterday”, 1969
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 2”, 1996
VOY, Season 5: “11:59”, 2000 - 2001
ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street”, 2004
DS9, Season 3: “Past Tense, Part 1”, 2024
DS9, Season 3: “Past Tense, Part 2”, 2024
VOY, Season 6: "One Small Step" 2032
TNG Feature: “Star Trek: First Contact”, 2063
TNG, Season 1: “Encounter At Farpoint”, 2079
ENT, Season 2: "First Flight", 2143

 

[Bad Thoughts]

I'm eliminating Past Tense I. An episode that seems more relevant with each passing day.

TAS, Season 1: "The Magicks Of Megas-Tu", 1691
TNG, Season 6: “Time’s Arrow, Part 2”, 1893
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 1”, 1944
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 2”, 1944
DS9, Season 4: “Little Green Men”, 1947
DS9, Season 6: “Far Beyond The Stars”, 1953
ENT, Season 2: “Carbon Creek”, 1957
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 1”, 1967 (and 1996)
TOS, Season 2: “Assignment: Earth”, 1968
TOS, Season 1: “Tomorrow Is Yesterday”, 1969
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 2”, 1996
VOY, Season 5: “11:59”, 2000 - 2001
ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street”, 2004
DS9, Season 3: “Past Tense, Part 2”, 2024
VOY, Season 6: "One Small Step" 2032
TNG Feature: “Star Trek: First Contact”, 2063
TNG, Season 1: “Encounter At Farpoint”, 2079
ENT, Season 2: "First Flight", 2143

 

[Henoch]

Aside for the hokey "transport back into their own bodies" at the end, Tomorrow is Yesterday was very entertaining with good moments between Kirk and Captain Christopher. Even Sulu got into the action.

TAS, Season 1: "The Magicks Of Megas-Tu", 1691
TNG, Season 6: “Time’s Arrow, Part 2”, 1893
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 1”, 1944
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 2”, 1944
DS9, Season 4: “Little Green Men”, 1947
DS9, Season 6: “Far Beyond The Stars”, 1953
ENT, Season 2: “Carbon Creek”, 1957
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 1”, 1967 (and 1996)
TOS, Season 2: “Assignment: Earth”, 1968
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 2”, 1996
VOY, Season 5: “11:59”, 2000 - 2001
ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street”, 2004
DS9, Season 3: “Past Tense, Part 2”, 2024
VOY, Season 6: "One Small Step" 2032
TNG Feature: “Star Trek: First Contact”, 2063
TNG, Season 1: “Encounter At Farpoint”, 2079
ENT, Season 2: "First Flight", 2143

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Saving Future's End Part 1, one of Voyager's stronger moments and introduced the mobile emitter.

TAS, Season 1: "The Magicks Of Megas-Tu", 1691
TNG, Season 6: “Time’s Arrow, Part 2”, 1893
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 1”, 1944
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 2”, 1944
DS9, Season 4: “Little Green Men”, 1947
DS9, Season 6: “Far Beyond The Stars”, 1953
ENT, Season 2: “Carbon Creek”, 1957
TOS, Season 2: “Assignment: Earth”, 1968
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 2”, 1996
VOY, Season 5: “11:59”, 2000 - 2001
ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street”, 2004
DS9, Season 3: “Past Tense, Part 2”, 2024
VOY, Season 6: "One Small Step" 2032
TNG Feature: “Star Trek: First Contact”, 2063
TNG, Season 1: “Encounter At Farpoint”, 2079
ENT, Season 2: "First Flight", 2143

 

[Qonundrum]

Up next for me is:

DS9, Season 4: “Little Green Men”, 1947

While the episode starts out with the 8,675,309th way to induce time travel - next week just whisking two O'wan omelet eggs in a gallon of ether will cause it. The episode surpisingly keeps a balance between suspense, threat, and levity remarkably well.

Odo's reveal was a nice surprise, though it begs the question of whether or not Odo does anything else all day except spy on Quark.

Naturally, mention goes out to Charles Napier and his not wearing the nappy but being rather snappy as a military officer - which I think is favorite type of role.

It's a guilty pleasure episode of mine and don't get me wrong as despite the nitpicks, the strengths are far more entertaining. Okay, there were a couple needless in-jokes, which aren't clever, but it's made up for with the universal translator issue leading to a number of great moments. The Ferengi were meant as comic relief for TNG, for once they're written in a way where the comic aspect works. And as with most things regarding Ferengi that work well, it wasn't TNG that did them justice. It was DS9.


What's left:

TAS, Season 1: "The Magicks Of Megas-Tu", 1691
TNG, Season 6: “Time’s Arrow, Part 2”, 1893
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 1”, 1944
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 2”, 1944
DS9, Season 6: “Far Beyond The Stars”, 1953
ENT, Season 2: “Carbon Creek”, 1957
TOS, Season 2: “Assignment: Earth”, 1968
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 2”, 1996
VOY, Season 5: “11:59”, 2000 - 2001
ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street”, 2004
DS9, Season 3: “Past Tense, Part 2”, 2024
VOY, Season 6: "One Small Step" 2032
TNG Feature: “Star Trek: First Contact”, 2063
TNG, Season 1: “Encounter At Farpoint”, 2079
ENT, Season 2: "First Flight", 2143

 

[ALF]

Time's Arrow Part II. It's such a fun and quality conclusion to TNG's epic time travel two-parter. Great moments as Guinan and Data try and outwit Sam Clements, also his travel to the 24th century and then back to his own time, seeing how Picard meets Guinan for the first time. Also included, these highlights:

• Devidians
• Mrs Carmichael
• Triolic activity
• Geordi reassembling Data

Remaining:

TAS, Season 1: "The Magicks Of Megas-Tu", 1691
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 1”, 1944
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 2”, 1944
DS9, Season 6: “Far Beyond The Stars”, 1953
ENT, Season 2: “Carbon Creek”, 1957
TOS, Season 2: “Assignment: Earth”, 1968
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 2”, 1996
VOY, Season 5: “11:59”, 2000 - 2001
ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street”, 2004
DS9, Season 3: “Past Tense, Part 2”, 2024
VOY, Season 6: "One Small Step" 2032
TNG Feature: “Star Trek: First Contact”, 2063
TNG, Season 1: “Encounter At Farpoint”, 2079
ENT, Season 2: "First Flight", 2143

 

[Sakonna]

I love a Lifetime/Hallmark Christmas TV movie (well, depending on the vintage -- the last few years they've ramped up production so much the quality has plummeted -- but I digress), and thus I love "11:59", a Christmas TV movie in Star Trek form.

TAS, Season 1: "The Magicks Of Megas-Tu", 1691
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 1”, 1944
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 2”, 1944
DS9, Season 6: “Far Beyond The Stars”, 1953
ENT, Season 2: “Carbon Creek”, 1957
TOS, Season 2: “Assignment: Earth”, 1968
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 2”, 1996
ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street”, 2004
DS9, Season 3: “Past Tense, Part 2”, 2024
VOY, Season 6: "One Small Step" 2032
TNG Feature: “Star Trek: First Contact”, 2063
TNG, Season 1: “Encounter At Farpoint”, 2079
ENT, Season 2: "First Flight", 2143

 

[Captain pl1ngpl0ng]

i always loved "the voyage home", "little green men" and "Carbon Creek"
so...

TAS, Season 1: "The Magicks Of Megas-Tu", 1691
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 1”, 1944
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 2”, 1944
DS9, Season 6: “Far Beyond The Stars”, 1953
TOS, Season 2: “Assignment: Earth”, 1968
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 2”, 1996
ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street”, 2004
DS9, Season 3: “Past Tense, Part 2”, 2024
VOY, Season 6: "One Small Step" 2032
TNG Feature: “Star Trek: First Contact”, 2063
TNG, Season 1: “Encounter At Farpoint”, 2079
ENT, Season 2: "First Flight", 2143

 

[Brennyren]

I have to save "One Small Step." Because dammit, I would have taken the exact same chance Chakotay did, to save the Ares IV, and I have a hard time understating why anyone wouldn't. Because Phil Morris's John Kelly was so valiant and determined it made me cry. Because at the end, Seven showed, subtly and perfectly, that she got it. I adore that episode.

TAS, Season 1: "The Magicks Of Megas-Tu", 1691
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 1”, 1944
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 2”, 1944
DS9, Season 6: “Far Beyond The Stars”, 1953
TOS, Season 2: “Assignment: Earth”, 1968
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 2”, 1996
ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street”, 2004
DS9, Season 3: “Past Tense, Part 2”, 2024
TNG Feature: “Star Trek: First Contact”, 2063
TNG, Season 1: “Encounter At Farpoint”, 2079
ENT, Season 2: "First Flight", 2143

 

[Phily B]

DS9, Season 3: “Past Tense, Part 2”, 2024 - Relevant to this day, Trek at some of its best.


TAS, Season 1: "The Magicks Of Megas-Tu", 1691
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 1”, 1944
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 2”, 1944
DS9, Season 6: “Far Beyond The Stars”, 1953
TOS, Season 2: “Assignment: Earth”, 1968
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 2”, 1996
ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street”, 2004
TNG Feature: “Star Trek: First Contact”, 2063
TNG, Season 1: “Encounter At Farpoint”, 2079
ENT, Season 2: "First Flight", 2143

 

[AresB]

ENT, Season 2: "First Flight", 2143. This was what season 1 of ENT should have been, testing and preparation for the launch of the first true starship. Also, the 602 Club scenes were a beautiful salute to real spacefarers.

Remaining:
TAS, Season 1: "The Magicks Of Megas-Tu", 1691
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 1”, 1944
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 2”, 1944
DS9, Season 6: “Far Beyond The Stars”, 1953
TOS, Season 2: “Assignment: Earth”, 1968
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 2”, 1996
ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street”, 2004
TNG Feature: “Star Trek: First Contact”, 2063
TNG, Season 1: “Encounter At Farpoint”, 2079

 

[Takeru]

First Contact, it's a good story, great performances, very memorable scenes. I really like that movie, it also successfully made the borg dangerous again after they lost their bite a bit during the second half of TNG.


TAS, Season 1: "The Magicks Of Megas-Tu", 1691
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 1”, 1944
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 2”, 1944
DS9, Season 6: “Far Beyond The Stars”, 1953
TOS, Season 2: “Assignment: Earth”, 1968
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 2”, 1996
ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street”, 2004
TNG, Season 1: “Encounter At Farpoint”, 2079

 

[Seven of Five]

I'll save Far Beyond the Stars, as I still find it a powerful, sometimes difficult watch.

TAS, Season 1: "The Magicks Of Megas-Tu", 1691
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 1”, 1944
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 2”, 1944
TOS, Season 2: “Assignment: Earth”, 1968
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 2”, 1996
ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street”, 2004
TNG, Season 1: “Encounter At Farpoint”, 2079

 

[Brennyren]

"Magicks of Megas-Tu" was pretty trippy for a 1970s cartoon, and I remember being surprised by the daring reveal about Lucien. Saved, which I guess is an interesting choice of words in the context.

ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 1”, 1944
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 2”, 1944
TOS, Season 2: “Assignment: Earth”, 1968
VOY, Season 3: “Future’s End, Part 2”, 1996
ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street”, 2004
TNG, Season 1: “Encounter At Farpoint”, 2079

 

[BigDaveX]

Future's End Part 2. You can kinda tell that they had to smoosh it together with the story for the abandoned Part 3, but it still makes for one of the better stories of Voyager's early years, and introducing the mobile emitter was something that really paid off in the years ahead.

ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 1”, 1944
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 2”, 1944
TOS, Season 2: “Assignment: Earth”, 1968
ENT, Season 3: “Carpenter Street”, 2004
TNG, Season 1: “Encounter At Farpoint”, 2079

 

[Sakonna]

Future's End Part 2. You can kinda tell that they had to smoosh it together with the story for the abandoned Part 3,

I had no idea that was supposed to be a three-parter! I do love that one -- especially now, it's such a fun time capsule of 1996 LA -- it is a shame we don't have more of it.

I'll now save "Carpenter Street", and not even reluctantly. This was one of the episodes I discovered for the first time just a few years ago, and it (along with the Augments trilogy I happened upon around the same time) inspired me to finally go back and properly watch all of Enterprise (I had given up on ENT halfway thru season two during original air). I love it's noir-ish vibe and "Detroit" setting.

Very curious what's going to emerge the winner from these four...

ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 1”, 1944
ENT, Season 4: “Storm Front, Part 2”, 1944
TOS, Season 2: “Assignment: Earth”, 1968
TNG, Season 1: “Encounter At Farpoint”, 2079