TOS Episode for beginners

Well, actually, yeah. If you're coming from the Project Genesis Trilogy as you called it - and I like that BTW - then Space Seed would be a very logical place to begin.

Ten posts, we estimate.

 

You know, Phaser, I seem to be growing fatigued...again!
JB

 

In that case I will release you from this social occasion with warfare concealed!

 

You are an excellent tactician, Phase! You let your Moderators attack, while you watch for weakness!
JB

 

Thank you, JB. You are very . . . cooperative.

 

Arena and Devil in the Dark are some of the most "Star Trekkie" episodes of the lot.

 

Well they were the only policemen out there in space weren't they?
JB

 

True. However, I think that DD might not be an ideal starter episode because there are hardly any scenes aboard the Enterprise.

 

Mine too. I would also throw in "Patterns of Force". I'd add "A Piece of the Action" as well, so the new viewer could get a taste of TOS humor.

 

And individual tastes. What does the target audience like? I'd figure that out and then whip out the episodes that are closest to that and see what the reaction is. And who knows, maybe they prefer comedy but hate "Tribbles" but can't get enough "Immunity Syndrome" or even that one with the parallel universe with Lazarus that everyone hates?

More comedic? (Piece of Action, Tribbles, et al) More pulp adventure? (Corbomite Maneuver, Doomsday machine, etc) More courtroom drama? (Court Martial, Squire of Gothos) More character draaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaama? (Wolf in the Fold, Turnabout Intruder, the one with the fried eggs that melt under high intensity light) More cat and mouse military fun (Balance of Terror, Enterprise Incident)? Parallel Earth stories (Paradise Syndrome, a dozen others) More overtly political or social commentary? (Omega Glory, Space Seed, Mudd's Women, et al) More high concept weirdness (Immunity Syndrome, Mirror Mirror, Catspaw)? More "Kirk nags the computer until it self-destructs" (Archons, Apple, Ultimate, etc) Combinations of those where the episode gets sufficiently into many categories (Taste of Armageddon", Edge of Forever, the one with the parallel world with Lazarus that everyone hates, The Changeling, I Mudd, most of the series in general apart from the episodes that put out the comedy more overtly than the others, etc)...

 

The definitive Star Trek episodes I always watched when I came in from the pub, armed with a few more beers and a Chicken Curry, were always "Balance of Terror", "The Menagerie" and "Amok Time"
Maybe fling in a cheeky wee "All Our Yesterdays" or "Space Seed"

 

If you're doing it on Netflix, just turn it on at the beginning & let it ride, man

 

I'd say Doomsday Machine, but we tried that on my niece and nephew in their teens, and they laughed at the phaser effects. And Windom's mugging.

 

That's sacrilege! The Doomsday Machine is one of the best episodes of the entire franchise let alone just TOS!!! But like my bunch, they have no taste where Trek is concerned!
JB

 

Teenagers can be sort of goofy.

 

Sounds more like Red Dwarf