What Are the Worst Star Trek Episodes?

[Luther Sloan]

This thread is inspired from yet another thread. It is about what you think are the worst episodes within all of Star Trek. So please don't hold back. Share your lists and opinions with us on what you think is the absolute bottom of the barrel for Trek.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

~J.


P.S. If you need a refresher on Star Trek's episodes, please check out this site for a complete listing of the various episodes from the different series.

http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Category:Star_Trek_series

 

[Withers]

I want to be the first to say These are the Voyages was hands down the most ham fisted, poorly executed terrible idea for any episode of any Star Trek I have ever seen only made worse by the fact that it was not only a season finale but a series finale. They couldn't have given the fans of Enterprise a bigger "F-You" if they had actually changed the name of the show to "Star Trek: Fans, Get Bent." Every time I accidentally catch that episode on Spike (which is rarer and rarer these days thank the Gods) my blood boils so hot I warn people to step back from their own safety.


TAtV sucks, sucks, sucks!

-Withers-​

 

[Luther Sloan]

Withers:

Ha, ha, ha... Yeah, TATV definitely wins the award for worst episode of Star Trek of all time, thats for sure, friend.

In fact, I personally think the episode was just pure poop on a stick, if you ask me.

 

[Luther Sloan]

Worst Episodes of Star Trek

TOS - And the Children Shall Lead
TOS - Catspaw
TNG - Pen Pals
TNG - The Outcast
TNG - Aquiel
TNG - Interface
TNG - Masks
DS9 - Rivals
DS9 - The Story Teller
DS9 - Shadowplay
DS9 - Time's Orphan
VOY - The Fight
VOY - Threshold
VOY - Dragon's Teeth
VOY - Homestead
VOY - Nemesis
VOY - Displaced
VOY - Unimatrix Zero
ENT - Terra Nova
ENT - Oasis
ENT - Bound
ENT - Detained
ENT - Extinction
ENT - Cogenitor
ENT - These Are The Voyages


Side Note:

There might be a few more. However, right now these are the only ones that I can recall.

 

[Joeman]

TOS not included:

TNG: Code of Honor
TNG: Too Short a Season
TNG: Skin of Evil
TNG: The Dauphin
TNG: Manhunt
TNG: Half a Life
TNG: Rascals
TNG: Dark Page
TNG: Genesis
TNG: Emergence
VOY: Cathexis
VOY: Threshold
VOY: Death Wish
VOY: Warlord
VOY: The Fight
VOY: Barge of the Dead
VOY: Tsunkatse
VOY: Collective
DS9: If Wishes Were Horses
DS9: Sanctuary
DS9: Past Tense
DS9: The Darkness and the Light
DS9: Valiant
DS9: Chrysalis
DS9: Extreme Measures
ENT: Civilization
ENT: A Night in Sickbay
ENT: These Are The Voyages...

Sorry, that list ended up way longer than I intended.

 

[The Wormhole]

TOS: And the Children Shall Lead
TNG: Shades of Gray
DS9: Move Along Home
VOY: Unimatrix Zero
ENT: Dawn

 

[Luther Sloan]

Wormhole:

Good catch.

Unimatrix Zero was definitely a big time zero loser, too.
Definitely adding that one to my list.

 

[DevilEyes]

TOS Mudd's Women
TOS Assignment Earth
TOS Wolf in the Fold
TOS The Savage Curtain
TOS Plato's Stepchildren
TOS The Cloud Minders
TNG Angel One
TNG Code of Honor
TNG Shades of Grey
TNG Masks
TNG Genesis
DS9 If Wishes Were Horses
DS9 Meridian
DS9 Fascination
DS9 Profit and Lace
DS9 Emperor's New Cloak
VOY Threshold
VOY Fair Haven
VOY Spirit Folk
VOY Tattoo
VOY Nothing Human
VOY Favorite Son
VOY The Q and the Grey
ENT Acquisition
ENT Precious Cargo
ENT Marauders
ENT Extinction
ENT Bound
ENT These Are the Voyages...

 

[Luther Sloan]

DS9: If Wishes Were Horses

DS9 If Wishes Were Horses

Joeman & DE:

Yeah, I almost added "DS9 - If Wishes Were Horses" to my list. It sort of reminded me of the Leprechaun movies. Which is not good at all. However, for some strange reason, as bad as it is, I still was at least entertained by it.

DE:

I am definitely adding "TNG - Masks" to my list, though. That one was really horrid.

 

[Joeman]

I only had one major issue with Unimatrix Zero, and that was that they actually allowed themselves to be assimilated. Ridiculous! Other than that, I really liked both parts. It just came up in my rotation tonight in fact.

DE: I liked Fair Haven and Spirit Folk both, a lot. Too silly? I thought they were fun.

 

[nick1983]

There's been a few dud's over the years, I'd say.

TOS - And the Children Shall Lead
TOS - Spectre of the Gun
TOS - Assignment Earth
TOS - Catspaw
TOS - Mudds Women
TNG - Code of Honour
TNG - Justice
TNG - Shades of Gray
TNG - Masks
TNG - Emergence
DS9 - If Wishes Were Horses
DS9 - Its Only A Paper Moon
DS9 - Valiant
DS9 - Meridian

 

[Cheapjack]

Nearly every single Enterprise episode!

Apart from a few, lonely, five minutes of about each one, where I briefly woke up, before going back to sleep again!

 

[Arix]

I want to be the first to say These are the Voyages was hands down the most ham fisted, poorly executed terrible idea for any episode of any Star Trek I have ever seen only made worse by the fact that it was not only a season finale but a series finale. They couldn't have given the fans of Enterprise a bigger "F-You" if they had actually changed the name of the show to "Star Trek: Fans, Get Bent." Every time I accidentally catch that episode on Spike (which is rarer and rarer these days thank the Gods) my blood boils so hot I warn people to step back from their own safety.


TAtV sucks, sucks, sucks!

-Withers-​

I completely agree.

But honestly, my worst Trek episodes list only has 3 episodes.

TNG: Shades of Gray
VOY: Threshold
ENT: TATV

Apart from that, while there are some bad ones, especially on the 3rd or 4th watch through, the simple fact is - its Star Trek. And I love it all, good and bad.

 

[Magnum]

I thought DS9's "If Wishes Were Horses" was lame, but so very lame that it was endearing. Especially the part when Sisko and the others were reciting that rhyme while playing hopscotch. It was as if the main cast was doing a very rudimentary acting exercise.

 

[Luther Sloan]

I only had one major issue with Unimatrix Zero, and that was that they actually allowed themselves to be assimilated. Ridiculous! Other than that, I really liked both parts. It just came up in my rotation tonight in fact.

Joeman:

Yeah, I also didn't like the make up of them being assimilated, either. Something was just off about that. Minus the Queen, I also didn't like the characters they had to get involved with either.

I liked Fair Haven and Spirit Folk both, a lot. Too silly? I thought they were fun.

Agreed. I actually loved those two episodes. It was a nice break away from the usual explore another planet or alien civilization episode. I also liked Bride of Chaotica for that reason, as well.

Nearly every single Enterprise episode!
Apart from a few, lonely, five minutes of about each one, where I briefly woke up, before going back to sleep again!

Cheapjack:

Yeah, I know how you feel, man. I used to enjoy Enterprise, however after much reflection on the series I have come to the realization that it is a seriously lacking in a lot of areas (acting, believability, lack of characterization, unoriginality, its a 22nd Century show that looks like the 24th Century, and it either raises some serious questions on the continuity of Star Trek or breaks canon).

However, can I watch certain episodes on occasion still?
Yes. But it is like eating straight pure sugar and getting a hollow sugar rush for brief seconds at a time. So there is no real substance in me mildly enjoying it anymore like I once did. And even, then I still thought the series was the weakest link of them all. Therefore, I usually only opt to watch it in a...
"Star Trek Series Complete Viewing (However Long It Takes) Marathon".

 

[kes7]

I only had one major issue with Unimatrix Zero, and that was that they actually allowed themselves to be assimilated. Ridiculous! Other than that, I really liked both parts. It just came up in my rotation tonight in fact.

The assimilation was ridiculous enough -- the fact that there were no lasting repercussions for any of the three assimilees (is that a word? it is now.) was worse. Reset button much? Tuvok and Janeway were off chasing the Borg again IN THE VERY NEXT EPISODE. Fearlessly. (Though, I guess an argument could be made that after assimilation, it's not like the Borg can be MORE scary to them. But Janeway was complaining about how much it hurt ...)

But even WORSE than the reset button on the characters was the reset button on the Borg rebellion. Hey, let's start a Borg civil war! AND THEN NEVER MENTION IT AGAIN.

(Oh, and during this episode, they seemed to have forgotten about the Borg children they had just picked up. Seven was spending all her time regenerating in the cargo bay, and I was like, "Where are the kids?" So minus one for continuity, as well.)

-k7, who has now written a ridiculous amount of fanfic, thanks in part to this horrible episode. So I guess it was good for something ...

 

[Admiral Shran]

I want to be the first to say These are the Voyages was hands down the most ham fisted, poorly executed terrible idea for any episode of any Star Trek I have ever seen only made worse by the fact that it was not only a season finale but a series finale.

Not only that, but it's also the FRANCHISE finale as far as television goes. And, for those (like myself) who hate Star Trek XI, it's the franchise finale of everything.

I thought DS9's "If Wishes Were Horses" was lame, but so very lame that it was endearing. Especially the part when Sisko and the others were reciting that rhyme while playing hopscotch. It was as if the main cast was doing a very rudimentary acting exercise.

That was Move Along Home, another awful episode.


My list....

TOS - And the Children Shall Lead
TNG - Justice
DS9 - Let He Who Is Without Sin...
VOY - The Fight
ENT - This Ain't The Valentine

So, how do they relate to each other....

This Ain't The Valentine is the absolute worst of Trek.
The Fight comes in second-worst.
Justice is next. However, there are episodes I would rate between it and The Fight.
Let He Who Is Without Sin... is next. However, I'd rate most of TNG's first two seasons between it and Justice.
And the Children Shall Lead is next. However, there are numerous episodes of all the other series' that I would rate lower than it.

Dishonorable Mentions....
TOS - Mudd's Women
TOS - Catspaw
TOS - Spectre of the Gun
TOS - Spock's Brain
TNG - The entire first two seasons (with the exceptions of Q Who and The Emissary).
TNG - Who Watches the Watchers
TNG - Man of the People
TNG - Aquiel
DS9 - Move Along Home
DS9 - Paradise
DS9 - Valiant
DS9 - Profit and Lace
VOY - Learning Curve
VOY - Threshold
VOY - Tuvix
VOY - 11:59
VOY - Fair Haven
VOY - Spirit Folk
ENT - Terra Nova
ENT - Fortunate Son
ENT - Acquisition
ENT - Dawn
ENT - Canamar
ENT - Bound

 

[Pemmer Harge]

I never have and never will get the hate for Valiant...

Anyway, some contenders:

TOS: Mudd's Women
TNG: Masks
DS9: Let He Who is Without Sin...
DS9: Take Me Out to the Holosuite
VOY: Cathexis
VOY: The Fight
ENT: Precious Cargo

 

[Joeman]

I only had one major issue with Unimatrix Zero, and that was that they actually allowed themselves to be assimilated. Ridiculous! Other than that, I really liked both parts. It just came up in my rotation tonight in fact.

The assimilation was ridiculous enough -- the fact that there were no lasting repercussions for any of the three assimilees (is that a word? it is now.) was worse. Reset button much?

(Oh, and during this episode, they seemed to have forgotten about the Borg children they had just picked up.

Yeah, was just talking about that same issue in another thread in regards to DS9 and O'Brien's lack of repercussions after his situation in Hard Time. The "reset button" thing doesn't bother me that much, but I can understand how it would some people.

I would consider myself to be in the bottom 10% of these forums as far as Trek knowledge goes, but didn't the studio give the producers of Voyager a really hard time about having any kind of ongoing stories? Seems like they had to fight tooth and nail to be allowed even the tiniest of story arcs. I'm merely speculating that maybe that would have something to do with it. It would certainly explain the "reset button" on Voyager, but certainly not on DS9.

I too wondered where the Borg kids were in a BORG episode. Jeez.

I never have and never will get the hate for Valiant...

And no one will ever be able to make you get it either. I had been wondering why, if the Defiant was so badass, why Starfleet wasn't making more of them, so I was thrilled to see the Valiant show up. Unfortunately, the episode got ludicrous immediately following the ship's appearance. Ill-conceived and ill-executed in my opinion.

Hey, I wish I loved EVERY episode of Trek, so I'm jealous when someone can enjoy an ep that I can't. More power to you.

 

[DevilEyes]

Dishonorable Mentions....
TOS - Mudd's Women
TOS - Catspaw
TOS - Spectre of the Gun
TOS - Spock's Brain
TNG - The entire first two seasons (with the exceptions of Q Who and The Emissary).

But not The Measure of A Man?

DE: I liked Fair Haven and Spirit Folk both, a lot. Too silly? I thought they were fun.

*waits for TheGodBen to notice this thread and unleash his anger*

Oh heck, why not? I'll just link to his reviews, to save myself the trouble of listing what's wrong with those episodes - and I couldn't do it as passionately anyway, I don't feel the anger and outrage that he does due to the fact that I'm not Irish, but I can certainly see the stupidity of those episodes.

Fair Haven
Spirit Folk