Game The Most Disliked Winrich Kolbe Directed Episode

[Sakonna]

Next up in these themed elimination games: EPISODES DIRECTED BY WINRICH KOLBE -- Trek's second-most-prolific director.

THE RULES. The basic idea is your standard elimination game. Below are the Star Trek episodes directed by Winrich Kolbe. 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.

Much thanks and credit to @Farscape One, for having the director credits literally memorized.

Enjoy!

TNG Season 2: "Where Silence Has Lease"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "Evolution"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Darmok"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
TNG Season 7: "Thine Own Self"
TNG Season 7: "All Good Things..."
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 4: "Our Man Bashir"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "The Siege Of AR-558"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Eye Of The Needle"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Scorpion, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Saving Siege of AR558. This episode most clearly has Kolbe directorial imprint. It shows complex emotions, melds well with the asynchronous music, and had good, tense action. And those who say it's a rip off of Saving Private Ryan don't know war movies.

TNG Season 2: "Where Silence Has Lease"
TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "Evolution"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Darmok"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
TNG Season 7: "Thine Own Self"
TNG Season 7: "All Good Things..."
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 4: "Our Man Bashir"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Eye Of The Needle"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Scorpion, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[Sakonna]

I will save "Where Silence Has Lease", which I just watched and is a hell of a tough first Trek directing assignment! There is Worf's holodeck calisthentics in the teaser (which is quite fabulously executed, the production design and the fight choreography are top notch), but aside from that, practically the whole episode is on the bridge, with some brief visits to other standing sets... it could be so visually dull, but it's shot in an interesting way, there's a lot of offbeat angles to keep things lively.

And the visit to the Yamato really feels like we're going to a new place, even though it's just the same sets as always. But great atmosphere in those scenes, it doesn't feel like the ship we know.

A very satisfyingly creepy ep.

TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "Evolution"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Darmok"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
TNG Season 7: "Thine Own Self"
TNG Season 7: "All Good Things..."
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 4: "Our Man Bashir"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Eye Of The Needle"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Scorpion, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[Farscape One]

Kolbe went on to say years later that that episode was his most challenging of all, simply because it was basically 5 days on the Bridge.

My first save will be "Darmok". It's not just one of my favorite Kolbe episodes, but also one of my favorite Joe Menosky episodes.

Great director, great writer, AND centering on an excellent actor, with a great guest star as a bonus? It's the perfect storm of awesome.


TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "Evolution"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
TNG Season 7: "Thine Own Self"
TNG Season 7: "All Good Things..."
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 4: "Our Man Bashir"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Eye Of The Needle"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Scorpion, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[Qonundrum]

He also directed a large number of Knight Rider's best episodes, as well as dating Kate Mulgrew and sadly didn't do triads. Even more sadly, he didn't direct the first episode featuring K.A.R.R. (a great episode, which also happened to have been written by Hannah Louise Shearer!) But first thing's first:

DS9 Season 6: "The Sound Of Her Voice"​

The fairly novel episode is built up with a lot of panache. The mystery of this officer, Lisa, is very compelling and - whut - a Starfleet officer has a sense of humor? (Comedian Debra Wilson is the voice of Lisa, and she pulls off what should otherwise be impossible, given we rarely see 24th century humans having any jokey attitudes... apart from TNG season one, but this isn't TNG and it isn't season 1 either. And she's also in a semi-terrified situation, using storytelling humor to keep her wits about her while putting poor Miles on edge, all while having a refined sense of humor that doesn't feel out of place. She simply nailed it. Especially her line about the Andorian pointing his big antennae at her. Lisa, if I were to get a TARDIS, would you and Bashir be interested in dinner and a movie, on me? Well, the dinner anyway... )

This line always gets to me:

Lisa (to Sisko): No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for you and me and everyone in the Federation. I can't believe we're at war. Let's change the subject. How about some good news. Tell me there's still something to look forward to when I get home. Tell me people still fall in love and get married and raise families.

This hits home on numerous levels, since:
a. they're at war (remember the Borg?)
b. Sisko's wife was murdered by the Borg in the war
c. Lisa, if nothing else, wants to survive and meet Sisko since she's falling for his personality and voice (TBH, who could blame her? ). So, do people still rely on looks and lust (a la Crusher who could just about manage a Trill in any body, bar one) or in the several years following is it no longer about lust, solely or in part or if at all.

When it's shown she's dead for real (oops, spoiler alert) due to a temporal anomaly sending out her messages from three years earlier, it both hit home hard but begged questions of authenticity as if time distortion was as common as the two dozen brands of butter sitting on a shelf. "Oh it must have been radiation from the metronome nebula hoobiedoobie that somehow caused the shift into the future but I won't say how ours went into the past, so it's like full duplex right? Gag me with a spoon!" Treknobabble was a sore spot in the latter end of Trek and to be honest, Lisa was such a compelling character that having her survive to tell more tales and interact might have been a preferable way to end the story. TV shows rarely pick up new characters this way, especially shows that aren't sci-fi given the cost of spaceships that haven't been invented yet.

But that tragedy ending was left to the very end. The episode succeeds in us wanting the crew to save her at the last moment, which was probably the point as that's where the energy and time is focused. It's a visceral episode that doesn't hold up to many re-watches, which isn't to say there is no plot - just a one-off with less detail thrown in, to allow more focus on its real intent. It's more a filler episode but is a downright great one. Debra Wilson loved the show, but what if she was kept on full time to replace Dax instead.

What's left:

TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "Evolution"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Darmok"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
TNG Season 7: "Thine Own Self"
TNG Season 7: "All Good Things..."
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 4: "Our Man Bashir"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Eye Of The Needle"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Scorpion, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[ananta]

“All Good Things...” is probably the strongest on the list. It’s a beautiful series finale, bridging past, present and future with great attention to character and detail. I have some issues with the technobabble nature of the plot (which highlights one of TNG’s greatest flaws in latter seasons) and I’m still not convinced it makes sense, but there’s so much to enjoy apart from that and I loved the call-back to Q’s trial of humanity and his admission that “the trial never ends.” How very life! The sky’s the limit.

TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "Evolution"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Darmok"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
TNG Season 7: "Thine Own Self"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 4: "Our Man Bashir"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Eye Of The Needle"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Scorpion, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[Farscape One]

I MUST be the one to save "OUR MAN BASHIR"!

A James Bond homage episode. With Garak. I need no more reasons. (Though there are many, not the least of which the sheer joy the actors were having playing such different characters.)

TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "Evolution"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
TNG Season 7: "Thine Own Self"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Eye Of The Needle"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Scorpion, Part II"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[Qonundrum]

I MUST be the one to save "OUR MAN BASHIR"!

Remember that episode of "The Lenny Henry Show" from 1985 where he does a Doctor Who skit where Lenny, as the Doctor, jumps up and down and screams "I WANTED TO DO THAT!!!"? Well...

A James Bond homage episode. With Garak. I need no more reasons. (Though there are many, not the least of which the sheer joy the actors were having playing such different characters.)

A Bond homage, which is done incredibly well and with much verve. Kira's accent is phony but is sorta supposed to be. Everyone is clearly relishing the chance to do something different and, heck yeah, Avery Brooks steals the show as the villain.

Also, Dax and Bashir in new wardrobe:

If anything, the Treknobabble used to cause (spoiler alert?) the YAHM (yet another holodeck malfunction) is tissue paper thin, but the story is so good it just doesn't matter. Sing it with me like in the cheesy 1979 flick "Meatballs": "It just doesn't matter!"

 

[Farscape One]

Exactly!

And aa far as the holodeck malfunction goes, it's not even really holodeck malfunction. It worked pretty much as it was supposed to. The premise was the most unique take on the holodeck episode trope that no one could ever accuse the DS9 staff of repeating a plot.

 

[Sakonna]

"Scorpion, Part II" is one of the RARE moments in all of Trek history where Part II is better than Part I. One of Voyager's strongest hours, and the introduction of one of the greatest characters in the whole franchise.

TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "Evolution"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
TNG Season 7: "Thine Own Self"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Phage"
VOY Season 1: "Eye Of The Needle"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[Seven of Five]

Another really good list of episodes. I'll go for Phage first, as the Vidiians were a wonderful creation, and one of VOY's best aliens.

TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"
TNG Season 3: "Evolution"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
TNG Season 7: "Thine Own Self"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Eye Of The Needle"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[Qonundrum]

Deep, superficial, yet clinical at the same time,

TNG Season 2: "Up The Long Ladder"​

is actually a robust little hard sci-fi discussing at its core the issue of genetic biodiversity variation to prevent genetic stagnation/extinction, of the sort we've heard about today with "too few cheetahs exist to differentiate the gene pool so write 'em off now because they don't know how to cheat, ah..." or whatever. The subplot about choice is also intentional without a sledgehammer as the same content is transferable to many paradigms.

Lastly, the use of "offensive stereotypes" is arguably deliberate (Pico Fermi, for reasons quite other than the (expected)), because of the theme of limited biodiversity - even if this is potentially sledgehammery, via a different aspect: The scientists all have the same cloned mindset (figuratively and literally!) and may as well be zombies. The colony of 18th century Irish Archetypes to the point of silly stereotype is questionable (what else is new for TNG) but it does serve to an actual underlying point - to the chagrin of the boring clones who, if this were made for DSC, would not have to be stuck with a boatload of Tilly types (and vice-versa!) and the occasional Tilly is a good thing, unless it gets too silly and/or Flandersized.

And another spin in an episode loaded with them: Note how the cloned types have different skin colors and yet the spinning wheel throwbacks are all the same...

Speaking of spinning wheels:

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What's left:

TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "Evolution"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
TNG Season 7: "Thine Own Self"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Eye Of The Needle"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[gtop]

I find the list to be a interesting combination of episodes. Interesting because of the high number of isodes i like really (...) very (...) much. Resarch became also interesting - I had to do some ...

Very hard to make a bet which episode will actually win or loose this game btw? Thanks to @Sakonna for providing the elimantion games

I save episode "TNG Season 7: "Thine Own Self". I found ist perfect, moved me deeply (i swaer the first time i saw this one. Right now I like to think of this episode a the perfect Data Story, or a story which shows, how perfect (in terms of the right actions, the right things to do) and admirable Data is.

TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "Evolution"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Eye Of The Needle"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[Farscape One]

"Thine Own Self" is a truly underrated episode precisely because it shows how much of a hero Data is, even with no memory of who he is. The core of his being IS heroic.

(And the B story of Troi getting her 3rd full pip was pretty good, too.)

My next save is "RESISTANCE". The plot is pretty bare bones, but the acting is phenomenal. Kate Mulgrew and especially Joel Grey were an absolute joy to watch. This is the episode you show someone to prove that any script can be elevated greatly by the right actor/actress.


TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "Evolution"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Eye Of The Needle"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[Qonundrum]

The episode isn't my favorite because, unlike me, it's contrived, but it does hinge on what societal devolution might be like if a balance were to be too contrived and then upset. Other stories already did various nuances better, but

TNG Season 5: "The Masterpiece Society"​

is still nowhere near the nadir that some Trek episodes sink into and at least trying this combination of factors isn't as bad as it could be. (The episode's plot points are also reused in "Birthright II", involving a society set up that encounters an upset creeping in - only of a different sort and it's a vague enough template to go into many directions: When a problem comes along, you must whip it - whip it good... and that's the optimistic viewpoint.)

One huge positive in this episode is to show Geordi (and how his bionics that don't make people equate him as a Borg, unlike Hugh) would otherwise be aborted in this oh-so-perfect haughty society the moment their scanning sensors inspect the zygote and find his eyes weren't fully formed and the word "imperfect" lights up. I wish this concept was used in season 2, which is the pinnacle of TNG where space is not just a place to be explored but is also very hostile -- because season 2 handled these concepts better for the most part - and with better incidental music that brings out the stories so much better than the "audio wallpaper with that samey chintz" too.

Okay, they do use Troi as nothing more than a stick figure (one of many in this story) with contrived love interest to set the plot of "Just let them all die as it's better than the other direction we're going to take because no other options can possibly exist even though we know that's a bucket of fertilizer freshly yanked out of the cow for this purported cause of 'cultural contamination'" in motion. Especially as this is a Federation colony and not a sentient species on a geologically unstable planet that is nowhere near warp capable or what not. Doubly especially since Troi of all people should know better than to have gone down, but as with Kirk in Fridays' Child beaming down a green newbie security officer to a very fragile situation and he shoots prematurely and is then shot and the situation goes downhill, there'd be no dramatic story. Except using lust as a plot crutch is two hops and a skip from "Jean Luc, you are NOT the father!" and TNG as a soap opera has almost never worked. But the episode has plenty going on and more of it is good stuff. The combination, for me, isn't entirely successful but isn't a total clunker either.


And speaking of de-evolution:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devo#1973–1978:_Formation



What's left:

TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "Evolution"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Eye Of The Needle"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[gtop]

"Thine Own Self" is a truly underrated episode precisely because it shows how much of a hero Data is, even with no memory of who he is. The core of his being IS heroic.

I completely agree. You made me think about that metaphor "Data is a hero"/"The core of his being is heroic" and after that i have to say, i even gladly agree.

Maybe you can compare the figures/the charakters of Data and Pincoccio. But you can compare a lot of things an it doesnt make sense.

Data is a hero (Pinoccio is not). He is heroic. That means amongst other things: He knows no fear and he knows about itselfs power/abilitys. Heroicness is his core. You could easily? find a lot of examples for this claim/statement.

Maybe its even worth a single thread "Why Data is truly a hero".

Absolutely great ... character/figure. And in this episode we kind of do see some other "coreness of Data" - isn't he the whole time down on that planet unaware of his life on board the enterprise and his original mission etc.?

It lies obviously also deep in Datas "instincts", to help others in need. Sounds also herokindof

Maybe the episodes name is a strong indicator for what this show is (mainly) all about.

 

[Cyfa]

I save episode "TNG Season 7: "Thine Own Self". I found ist perfect, moved me deeply (i swaer the first time i saw this one. Right now I like to think of this episode a the perfect Data Story, or a story which shows, how perfect (in terms of the right actions, the right things to do) and admirable Data is.

"Thine Own Self" is a truly underrated episode precisely because it shows how much of a hero Data is, even with no memory of who he is. The core of his being IS heroic.
(And the B story of Troi getting her 3rd full pip was pretty good, too.)

I would have saved "Thine Own Self" early, too. But not because of Data who I find to be unbelievable at best, and downright irritating and dangerous at worst (although, I hadn't considered that this episode shows his admirable and heroic sides - which it certainly does - as you both point out). No, I was going to save it for Commander Troi! Having a temper trantrum in front of Riker, ordering Geordi to his death, telling Data he has to call her "Sir"... Bloody brilliant!

Anyway, back to the list: I'm saving VOY "Eye of the Needle" - one of my favourite Voyager eps (as I think I might have mentioned in a previous "Most Disliked..." thread). It was a rollercoaster ride of hope and disappointment with a fantastic guest star in Vaughn Armstrong as Telek R'Mor.

TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "Evolution"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Drive"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[gtop]

Anyway, back to the list: I'm saving VOY "Eye of the Needle" - one of my favourite Voyager eps

I thought about that episode to elimante right away too. But thats the list. A lot of really good shows.

I will now save "Drive from VOY Season 7", because i think a lot of arguably better episodes will get eliminated anyway. So i musnt watch over them. They are not "my only posession". But i think, this out of all and to me (from the beginning to the end) absurd space soap opera action race in celebration of peace between some former hostile planets is a little more "my posession" which i want to remove from this dark list.

I really like that show above some more others! Thats no joke. I even have no complaints about the last scene, i think. It fits the the "whole thing" (which has arguably some good comedic moments and timing an visuals),

TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "Evolution"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[Qonundrum]

There was no person better suited to hit TNG's new style out of the ballpark...

TNG Season 3: "Evolution"​

A new mystery, from a lab experiment, left to get busy at 2AM (and at 2GHz) by good ol' Wesley, nanites reproduced and developed rudimentary sentience. Just what don't they allow running in that lab if it's going to endanger the entire ship... but the nanites show their higher evolutionary state by not killing the dude who fried a bunch of them (though he did it in self-defense in fear of the safety for all on the ship as well ensuring his experiment launched on time.) At least they were benign toward Data from the get-go. Unlike the Borg...

The episode starts with a bang and in true intellectual Trek setup style, to showcase the shiny new model and filming processes - which are sublime. But they made it relevant to the story as well - Exploring an unknown, without realizing a new unknown within was virtually breeding and eating their core like a box of potato chips and chocolates, not knowing what they were going to get since they're stuck in a spaceship and didn't stop to realize that eating the microchips wouldn't do them much good in the end, how kooky is that. Could nanites become cannibals?)

And speaking of cannibals, just think of how a TNG given this budget might have turned out:

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What's left:

TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 4: "Hope And Fear"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"

 

[Sakonna]

Compiling this list, I thought it was interesting that Kolbe directed both the premiere and finale of season 4 of Voyager. They're perfect season bookends. I already saved "Scorpion, Part II", and will now save "Hope And Fear."

I loved the Berman-era finale cliffhangers so much, pretty much anytime there wasn't one I was BUMMED. It was always such a let-down. "Hope And Fear" is one of the few standalone finales to really satisfy me. Janeway/Seven was such a dynamic character pairing, and this might be their best outing. Arturis was a great villain, mostly because he WAS TOTALLY RIGHT AND JANEWAY WAS THE ACTUAL VILLAIN. Since Species 8472 turned out to be such nice and reasonable good guys, Janeway really should not have intervened in the Borg's losing war against them!

My favorite exchange from this is always Seven's stab at humor, when they're about to be sent back to the Borg:

JANEWAY: In case I never get a chance to say this, I realize that I've been hard on you at times. But it was never out of anger, or regret that I brought you on board. I'm your Captain. That means I can't always be your friend. Understand?
SEVEN: No. However, if we are assimilated, our thoughts will become one and I'm sure I will understand perfectly.

TNG Season 2: "Pen Pals"
TNG Season 3: "The Bonding"
TNG Season 3: "Allegiance"
TNG Season 4: "Galaxy's Child"
TNG Season 4: "Identity Crisis"
TNG Season 5: "Cost Of Living"
TNG Season 6: "Man Of The People"
TNG Season 6: "Birthright, Part I"
TNG Season 6: "Rightful Heir"
DS9 Season 1: "Past Prologue"
DS9 Season 1: "Vortex"
DS9 Season 2: "The Homecoming"
DS9 Season 2: "The Siege"
DS9 Season 2: "Melora"
DS9 Season 2: "Armageddon Game"
DS9 Season 2: "Blood Oath"
DS9 Season 3: "Through The Looking Glass"
DS9 Season 6: "Favor The Bold"
DS9 Season 7: "Til Death Do Us Part"
VOY Season 1: "Caretaker"
VOY Season 1: "Faces"
VOY Season 2: "Initiations"
VOY Season 2: "Elogium"
VOY Season 2: "Resistance"
VOY Season 2: "Basics, Part I"
VOY Season 3: "Basics, Part II"
VOY Season 3: "Remember"
VOY Season 5: "Thirty Days"
VOY Season 5: "The Fight"
VOY Season 6: "Dragon's Teeth"
VOY Season 6: "Good Shepherd"
VOY Season 7: "Repression"
ENT Season 1: "Silent Enemy"