Worst Episode of Star Trek : Season One Part One

[Garth Rockett]

I'm currently watching through VOY Season Two. My wife, God bless her, will sit and watch with me even though she had no interest in Trek (or any other SF show) prior to meeting me. Her dad likes TOS but she found it boring as a child. However, since we became involved, I've turned her into a fan of DS9 and nBSG, and she likes VOY for the most part. Hopefully, I'll be able to change her mind on TOS when I rewatch the series this summer.

Anyway, this weekend we watched "Threshold". I warned her beforehand that this was widely considered one of the worst episodes in all of Trek, but rewatching it I noted that while the episode is certainly not good, I don't find it as offensively bad as something like "And the Children Shall Lead" or "Justice". And that got me wondering what the TrekBBS considered to be the worst episode in all of Trek. To that end, I'm conducting a poll (a search didn't reveal anything like this had been done recently; if I'm wrong, apologies and please point me to the relevant threads).

To start with, I'll go season by season for each series (including TAS, although I'll probably do both seasons of that simultaneously). The idea is, for each season there will be one round where you can vote for your three least favorite episodes. The top five vote getters will then be presented to the membership to pick their least favorite.

Once a worst from each season has been selected, a worst from the entire series will be voted on. When that has been done, I'll conduct a poll in General Trek to decide the TrekBBS's Least Favorite.

We start with Season One of TOS. (Threads for the first seasons of the other series will be in there respective forums). Please vote for your three least favorites from Season One.

 

[Michael]

Although I consider the first season of TOS to be the best season of any Trek series, it certainly has its flaws. For me that would be episodes like "Miri", "The Alternative Factor" and "Return of the Archons". I can even find positive aspects in those episodes, but they just happen to be my least favorite ...

 

[Garth Rockett]

I think this will be the toughest season of any series to pick three from. I went with "The Alternative Factor" (not a bad idea, but the execution just doesn't make much sense), "The Man Trap" (the anti-Devil in the Dark in some respects), and "Operation: Annihilate!" (fairly enjoyable, but I enjoy the other episodes more).

 

[The Squire of Gothos]

I knew I'd vote and see one of my more liked episodes (The Alternative Factor) trashed

 

[egonbeeblebrox]

"Operation: Annihilate!" is fun, but not too great an episode.

"The Alternative Factor" is just dumb.

And I've never understood what the fascination for "Arena" is. Good episode, but compared to the rest of the first season [barring the two above] are WAAAY better.

 

[Kegek]

The Squire of Gothos said:
I knew I'd vote and see one of my more liked episodes (The Alternative Factor) trashed

You're not alone.

 

[Winterwind]

I voted for The Alternative Factor without checking the poll results first. Wow. I didn't think it'd be winning the "worst of..." by that much. As for the other two... I couldn't pick. I agree with Belar that this was the best season of any Trek but I generally found quite a few redeeming aspects in even the weaker episodes in this season. Except The Alternative Factor.

 

[stj]

The Alternative Factor, Dagger of the Mind and Man Trap.

 

[Garibaldi O'brien]

Alternative Factor, Miri, and... yow the third one is kind of tough for season one. I'm going to go with "Enemy Within" for lack of a shuttle craft, and double dose of extra hammy Shatner.

 

[Spider]

I voted, but the problem is NONE of the shows I voted for come close to approaching anything really horrible.

 

[egonbeeblebrox]

Garibaldi O'brien said:
Alternative Factor, Miri, and... yow the third one is kind of tough for season one. I'm going to go with "Enemy Within" for lack of a shuttle craft, and double dose of extra hammy Shatner.

That double dose is what makes it one of my favorites!

"I'M CAPTAIN KIIIIIRK!"

 

[Garibaldi O'brien]

^ Oh I love it too. There really is no third episode for me to pick in Season 1, so I went for Enemy Within. No way it is getting worst, with "What of Lazurus?" in the running.

 

[EnsignRicky]

Wow, I've always found 'The Alternative Factor' to be the most boring TOS ever. I'm surprised to see so many like minded individuals; At least as far as first season episodes go. Though I still wouldn't be surprised if this puppy takes home worst of show.

 

[Danny99]

Mudd's Women
The Alternative Factor
Charlie X

 

[Dane_Whitman]

Mudd's Women - I like the Harry Mudd character, and the way the male crew members reacted to the women was funny. But I absolutely hate the final act of the episode, on the Rigel mining planet. Those guys are supposed to be rich and they live in hollow rocks under medieval circumstances? The way the miners treat the women and how the highest goal they could attain in this life seems to be married to some bad-mannered jerks, is this the 23rd century? Ugh.

Miri - can't stand the children. Especially the one with the weird nose who was also an old guy in "House of 1000 Corpses".

The Alternative Factor - not boring but a bit nonsensical and unfocussed.

 

[blakbyrd]

Mudd, Miri, and Alternative.

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

JUmping on bandwagon.

Miri: absolutely hate this episode more than probably any Trek episode of any series.

Mudd's Women: Mudd's a stud, the episode is a dud.

The Alternative Factor: Some guy with a fake beard stole George Jetson's ride!

Almost made the list: The Conscience of the King, which I find largely boring, if not a bit generic.

 

[MANT!]

1st one, Alternative Factor.. just poor execution
2nd worst,The Enemy Within.. the Shat chewin the scenery just bugs me..
and 3rd, This Side of Paradise just never captured my imagination..

 

[The Borgified Corpse]

"Mudd's Women"
Harry Mudd is a great character but the rest of the episode kinda falls flat. Plus, the idea that the Venus drug is just a placebo makes no sense.

"Miri"
Captain Kirk gets into a debate with a gang of children & loses. "No blah blah blah!" Although, the most cringeworthy part of the episode is, "Look at my legs, captain."

"Arena"
It starts out with a bang but slows to a crawl as we watch Captain Kirk reinvent gunpowder. And the Gorn fighting is just pathetic.

DISHONORABLE MENTIONS:

"The Enemy Within"
From watching this episode, you'd have never guessed that Shatner would win an Emmy 35 years later. "I'm Captain Kirk. I'M CAPTAIN KIRK!!!!!!"

"The Alternative Factor"
The way it switches between the 2 Lazaruses doesn't make any sense.

 

[Cyclopean]

1. The Alternative Factor - nonsensical schlock. Should have been an MST3K episode.
2. Squire of Gothos - Early Q-esque episode. Flamingly campy. Unwatchable save for completists.
3. Shore Leave - See above, save the Q reference.

For the record, I love the Alternative Factor. It's magnificently bad. My other two nominees are just boring and weird and predictably bad.