Which one-episode characters are your favourite?

[smalltabby]

There are a lot of characters in original Trek who appear once never to be heard of again. Do you have any that have made an impression and stuck with you for longer though? What makes them your favourites?

Doctor Miranda Jones from Is There In Truth No Beauty is definitely up there for me! I think her story and ambitions are interesting, and overall I think the episode handles her blindness with tact. Diana Muldaur plays her wonderfully and I was happy to see her back on board as Dr. Pulaski in TNG (sad to see her go as well!)
Another character I like and wish was brought up again is Alexander from Plato's Stepchildren. He's a very sympathetic and brave character who I hope found a place where he's respected.

 

[Shawnster]

Even though "Alternative Factor" is at or near the absolute bottom of my list, I really liked Lt. Charlene Masters (https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Charlene_Masters, the only engineer to ever appear in blue. I'd like to know more of her back story and her function in Enterprise's engineering department

 

[Poltargyst]

I always thought Dr. Dehner was pretty great. She should have been a series regular.
Dr. Helen Noel...yum.
Kor and Kang were pretty cool.
Agree that Alenxander and Miranda Jones were good characters.

 

[Metryq]

should have been a series regular.

I don't believe that is the intent of the OP question. TOS was created at a time when television programming was largely episodic. The season-long "story arc," or serials that must be watched in order didn't become the norm until much later.

Almost none of the "one episode" characters became recurrent characters (by definition, of course!). Harry Mudd is the only one that comes to mind. Although TOS is loaded with characters or civilizations that might have been revisited, or at least mentioned in later episodes. "Landmark" encounters have been discussed in these forums—such as the spores of Omicron Ceti III, which should have made a lasting impression on every story that followed. Rarely do we see such signs, at least within TOS. For example, the after effects of the encounter with the Organians is seen in "Tribbles," but not the Organians themselves. Balok and/or the First Federation practically screams for an encore.

(The Wrath of Khan had two TOS allusions, one of them being Khan himself. Some fans believe Dr. Carol Marcus might have been the "blonde lab technician" Garry Mitchell "aimed" at Kirk during their academy days. "I almost married her!" But TWOK is not TOS.)

TOS had many memorable episodic characters. One that stands out in my mind because it was the most dramatic piece of acting in the whole series was Commodore Matt Decker in "The Doomsday Machine." Windom was easily on a par with Shatner for the "ham" acting, which is what TOS needed. (TOS needed a cast that could deliver the absurd and outlandish with a straight face, and make you accept it without laughing. Hunter's Capt. Pike was too stiff and serious for what TOS needed.)

 

[feek61]

There are a lot of single characters I like but Yeoman Mears always tops the list. I particularly like the fact that she was Rhett Butler and Scarlett Ohara's infant in "Gone with the Wind."

Good topic, kudos to the original poster!

 

[Ssosmcin]

I liked Lt. D'Amato a lot. Seemed like a nice, regular guy.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

There are a lot of single characters I like but Yeoman Mears always tops the list. I particularly like the fact that she was Rhett Butler and Scarlett Ohara's infant in "Gone with the Wind."

Good trivia. The other thing is, she came back to TOS as a space hippie, and later her married name was Boyce. She's got Star Trek written all over her.

 

[Poltargyst]

I don't believe that is the intent of the OP question. TOS was created at a time when television programming was largely episodic. The season-long "story arc," or serials that must be watched in order didn't become the norm until much later.

I'm not suggesting a season-long arc. I am saying they should have given Sally Kellerman a contract to be a regular permanent character a la Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty, Sulu, Uhura, Chekov, etc. I am offering this as my opinion over and above the OP's original question as a way of saying how much I liked the actress and her character that I would have been happy to have seen her every or most or many episodes of the series.

 

[HIjol]

Commodore Matthew Decker!
If I understand the Thread correctly.
Premium One-Episode Wonder!
Can you hear the Doomsday “chase“ music?

 

[DonIago]

I've gotta give some props to William Marshall as Richard Daystrom in "The Ultimate Computer". His entire performance is gold, with the obvious standout (for me at least) being his meltdown when he tries to reason with his own creation.

 

[fireproof78]

Commodore Wesley.

Romulan commander (both).

Tal.

Commodore Stone.

 

[M'Sharak]

For subordinate character: Yeoman Barrows

For lead adversary / villain: Trelayne

 

[smalltabby]

Even though "Alternative Factor" is at or near the absolute bottom of my list, I really liked Lt. Charlene Masters (https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Charlene_Masters, the only engineer to ever appear in blue. I'd like to know more of her back story and her function in Enterprise's engineering department

I wouldn't have remembered her without this reminder, but she stood out to me while watching! I think it's lovely that a black woman got to wear her natural short hair at a time when straightened hair/wigs were in fashion for black women in pop culture (at least singers).

Romulan commander (both).

Both episodes with Romulan commanders are great. I thought the way the woman commander was portrayed was great, and her and Spock's interactions were very interesting. The hand makeout was very sensual and "alien", I wish SNW had done something similar with Spock and T'Pring instead of regular human kissing.

Trelayne

Trelayne is definitely very memorable! His actor is great fun to watch.

 

[Tosk]

There's several that appear elsewhere but were only in TOS once, so (I love a technicality!) I pick Sarek, Amanda, Kang, Kor, and Koloth.

 

[Koloth TOS]

For the male characters: Koloth
for the female characters: Lt Mira Romaine ( followed by Tonia Barrows and Teresa Ross).

 

[Henoch]

Yeoman Jones, no, the name's Smith.

 

[Pauln6]

Miranda Jones would be my favourite but I also really like Kor, Helen Noel, T'Pau, Yeoman Barrows, the Romulan Commander, and Zarabeth. Oh, and Mr Lesley's twin brother RIP.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

Edith Keeler.

 

[Henoch]

Kirk's "continuing" shipboard romance with Lt. Marlena Moreau.

 

[Rowdy Roddy McDowall]

Maab, Merik, McGivers, Mallory, Montgomery (the toughest TOS security guard ever who actually fights back for 15 seconds)....and maybe Mavig.