The Talosians could certainly teach the SPECTRE planet residents a thing or four.
Worst tos episode
- Thread starter picards bald cap fitter
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No tomatoes, but a few questions: do you just prefer the more action-oriented episodes? Can you unpack what you mean by "melodrama" here?
Worst TOS episode?
For me, easily it's "AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD". It's on the short list for worst in the franchise, too. An extremely hard to defend episode. This one accomplishes a rare feat for me... it gets worse with every rewatch. (Only 3 other episodes have ever managed to do this with every rewatch... DS9's "THE RECKONING" and ENT's "PRECIOUS CARGO" and "THESE ARE THE VOYAGES...".)
"THE WAY TO EDEN" would be the second worst. Another hard to defend episode, but at least it gave Chekov something more to do.
Third worst... "THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR". While the performances were really good, the script was an absolute mess. When I was a kid, it took several watches to be certain I had everything straight with it. And there are still times I find myself asking, "What the hell is going on here, again?"
For me, easily it's "AND THE CHILDREN SHALL LEAD". It's on the short list for worst in the franchise, too. An extremely hard to defend episode. This one accomplishes a rare feat for me... it gets worse with every rewatch. (Only 3 other episodes have ever managed to do this with every rewatch... DS9's "THE RECKONING" and ENT's "PRECIOUS CARGO" and "THESE ARE THE VOYAGES...".)
"THE WAY TO EDEN" would be the second worst. Another hard to defend episode, but at least it gave Chekov something more to do.
Third worst... "THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR". While the performances were really good, the script was an absolute mess. When I was a kid, it took several watches to be certain I had everything straight with it. And there are still times I find myself asking, "What the hell is going on here, again?"
From the perspective of a younger male TOS watcher at least, METAMORPHOSIS, REQUIEM FOR METHUSELAH and THE EMPATH have some unappealing slow scenes. As a much older TOS fan, I appreciate Rayna but despise Flint's selfishness. Many say METAMORPHOSIS lacks agency because the Companion saves the life of a humanoid women who is too sick to grant permission.
Now....I still think EMPATH has a great message but extra-despicable villains who torture everybody else in sight save Spock. And it seems slower than ever because of the interminable pink-lighted forcefield which traps Kirk and Spock in Act Four. Is it bad? In a few ways. Is it duller than EDEN or CHILDREN? Yes, ultimately. Those two aren't dull.....while those two also don't benefit from Robert Brown's GOOD Lazarus portrayal.
Summing up, the third year certainly has the worst overall installments, but to singularly pick out EDEN or CHILDREN would almost be too cruel or redundant.....I only hope no one selects PLATO or CATSPAW, while realizing I'm being unfair to THE EMPATH in certain ways.
Now....I still think EMPATH has a great message but extra-despicable villains who torture everybody else in sight save Spock. And it seems slower than ever because of the interminable pink-lighted forcefield which traps Kirk and Spock in Act Four. Is it bad? In a few ways. Is it duller than EDEN or CHILDREN? Yes, ultimately. Those two aren't dull.....while those two also don't benefit from Robert Brown's GOOD Lazarus portrayal.
Summing up, the third year certainly has the worst overall installments, but to singularly pick out EDEN or CHILDREN would almost be too cruel or redundant.....I only hope no one selects PLATO or CATSPAW, while realizing I'm being unfair to THE EMPATH in certain ways.
Spock’s Brain for over all worst. The Empath is the most boring.
I enjoy all the other “bad” episodes. TOS has such great characters that even if the plot is not great there’s always a few good character moments. And even bad plots often have something to think about.
I actually find that I watch the “bad” and mediocre episodes more these days because I’ve seen them less and they’re rarely discussed so I’ve forgotten exactly how they play out. It feels almost like getting a new episode.
I enjoy all the other “bad” episodes. TOS has such great characters that even if the plot is not great there’s always a few good character moments. And even bad plots often have something to think about.
I actually find that I watch the “bad” and mediocre episodes more these days because I’ve seen them less and they’re rarely discussed so I’ve forgotten exactly how they play out. It feels almost like getting a new episode.
I wish I could get that feeling. But it'll never be for TREK. After the second viewing of anything, it's more difficult to forget the major moments and dialogue. In TOS's case, most of us are far beyond that.
I wouldn't put it on my 'worst' episode list, but it's not a favorite and no, I don't get why it's so well liked by the majority of TOS fandom.
Conscience of the King would definitely make it onto my 'worst episodes' list. It just doesn't work for me.
City on the Edge of Forever, not so much. It's definitely a change of pace from the average episode, so I can see why fans would either really like it or really not. But I really like it.
City on the Edge of Forever, not so much. It's definitely a change of pace from the average episode, so I can see why fans would either really like it or really not. But I really like it.
The opposite for me. City is very overrated in my opinion but Conscience is very underrated.
"And the Children shall Lead" is just annoyingly bad. Even as a kid I hated this episode with a passion.
Atleast "Spock's Brain" and "Way to Eden" has MST3K level wackynes " that I could enjoy if I'm drunk. "What are Little Girls Made Of? Has a classic campy sci-fi premise even if its pretty absurd. .
"And the Children Shall Lead" just has nothing worthy to even make fun of.
Atleast "Spock's Brain" and "Way to Eden" has MST3K level wackynes " that I could enjoy if I'm drunk. "What are Little Girls Made Of? Has a classic campy sci-fi premise even if its pretty absurd. .
"And the Children Shall Lead" just has nothing worthy to even make fun of.
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Interesting as I just watched this one as part of introducing a younger person to Star Trek and found it (as I thought I would) even more touching and heartwarming than I did the last time I saw it a few years back.
It's never stated outright, but I think the dialogue implies that the Companion's merge with Commissioner Hedford was consensual.
I came here to say that about Spock's brain. It's been years since I've seen any of the original series, but I always remember that horrible one about some women trying to take his brain lol
Well. There used to be two but Harlan is dead.
As it's better to snatch up the chance of love between three entites rather than never having it while being buried by two.
Yes! Well said. That's it, exactly. The scene in which Hedford feverishly tells McCoy that she's never been loved (despite being good at her job) and contrasts that with Cochrane's rejection of the Companion's affection was likely intended to assure the audience that the subsequent eponymous transformation wasn't an alien takeover.
It was a benevolent merging, or to put it in 21st century terms, she's now the Companford. Or Nancion.
Art is indeed a subjective thing and it's always fun to read why people dislike the "fan favourite" choices.
It's been on the edge of forever since I'd seen either, but...
"City" has a cool idea, but the moral dilemma of "Let the boinkbunny die or else Hitler comes to power and zillions more will die" hinges more on the mawkish luuurve build-up between Kirk and Edith than anything else. TOS wasn't renowned for romance things (Scotty/Romaine was the most in terms of lack of chemistry, but "City" has the same problem - to a lesser extent but it's still there.) Shatner is acting his socks off for Edith's demise, but I didn't buy into it either.
The reason Kirk gives for Spock's ears was and remains cringeworthy. So much of the story doesn't elevate clever plotting as much as it should.
She's clairvoyant as well, how convenient! Convenient to the point of hokeydoke! It's got good music, though.
The scripting of reeling McCoy back in is good, but how many onlookers saw Jim hold Leonard back? Indeed, how many other onlookers might have stepped in to save her (?!!) and what's making her act like she's stoned all of a sudden, more of that precognitive and predestination paradox stuff?
But despite it all, is that the worst story? IMHO, nowhere close. But I would argue, wagering 237 Quatloos, that it's somewhat overrated.
I recall rather liking "Conscience" for its interesting use of murder/mystery trope along with traveling troupes for the troops. I recall one scene with Lenore:
There's also this:
Definitely theatrical/stageplay style, with Kodos having one moment that does feel melodramatic, and the actors are playing characters within characters, which is pretty cool. Nor is that the best plot twist, which is at the end of the story, but it is perhaps too theater-like - 60s television production combined with a setting that incorporates a stage play. The Spock's Brain and Children Shall Lead episodes just don't have any good plot twists, and SB knows how far it can send itself up without going too far. Children has an interesting idea, simply poorly executed.
But art is inevitably subjective.
How so? Kirk is winging it, trying come up with an explanation for Spock's odd appearance that he thinks will be believable to someone of the 1930s. The thing is, the cop couldn't care less! All he cares about is that he just caught two thieves red-handed. Hell, he's probably encountered weirder-looking characters than Spock in the line of duty. It's a classic Trek comedy scene.
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