Voyager has some good episodes. But, they were overshadowed by many more poor ones.
IMO, that’s even worse than Spock’s Brain.
What’s the consensus on the Warp 10=lizard “evolution” being the worst ST episode of all the series?
gets my vote
I actually like Spocks Brain. Its in the so bad its good category and the actors nailed it.
Same here.
I remember the ep when the crew got devolved into various critters. Oh wait. That was a TNG ep, wasn’t it? I don’t remember this lizard episode. Huh, thought I’d seen them all. Maybe my brain blocked it out.
I saw Spock’s Brain when I was a kid, and didn’t think it was worse than any other ep.
You’re right, that’s a TNG episode. I don’t remember the name of it, but I think Riker devolved into some proto-human/homo erectus/neanderthalis/unspecified kind of creature.
Spock’s Brain didn’t have to be as bad as it is, if not for the line, “Brain and brain! What is brain?!”
One of my favorite TOS episodes has been consistently ranked near the bottom through the years: Spectre of the Gun. It was third season, and lacked budget, but hey, it was the OK Corral, which made it cool. And the Earps were beautifully deadpan in their delivery. “That jokes all over town,” or something.
So the lizard ep is TNG, leaving the “Janeway and Chakotay almost kiss after six months of being Adam and Eve” as the Voyager worst?
No, the “lizard episode” (actual title: “Threshold”) is a Voyager episode. Paris and Janeway “evolve” into lizards, caused by breaking the Warp 10 barrier. At the end, they get better, but not before they apparently mate and leave behind some younguns.
The TNG de-volving episode is called “Genesis.” It is also bad.
No list of bad episodes could be complete without the Original Series’ “The Way to Eden” (otherwise known as the Space Hippies episode). Almost unwatchable.
I might be the only person in this star system who likes Masks and The Royale, commonly ranked among the worst TNG episodes.
But Genesis, Threshold and Spock’s Brain really have no redeeming qualities at all.
Don’t be such a Herbert, even if you don’t reach.
Youtube to the rescue: Tom Paris and Kathryn Janeway are Salamanders - YouTube
Still don’t remember it. I’ll have to rewatch it someday.
As a kid watching in the 70s I saw nothing particularly wrong with Spock’s Brain. In fact, back then the only episode I would always turn off was the ‘space hippies’ one (The Way to Eden). Even as a child, actually especially as a child, that was not science fiction (singing?!?) Closest TOS came to being a Lost in Space episode.
But seeing it later ya gotta love the raging, unfettered misogyny of Spock’s Brain. Saying that a female dominated society would stagnate into cavemen herded for mating ("…pain, and delight") and dumb, Barbie-esque bimbo women totally dependent on technology*!* Casting-couch Roddenberry at his best (i.e. worst)! 
It was actually written by Gene L. Coon under the pen name Lee Cronin and was supposedly a big “FU” to Fred Freiberger, who took over as executive producer from Gene Roddenberry in the third season. Coon felt that Freiberger wouldn’t recognize bad sci-fi if it bit him in the ass.
:dubious:
Misogyny?
I have actually always thought it was a play longstanding fears that dependence on machines and computers would lead to mental stagnation amongst the population.
Yeah, but then they’d have that ugly basset hound on the ship. Archer’s space beagle was bad enough.
I’d love to see Lt Columbo as communications officer. “Just one more thing…” He’d never hang up.
I liked adding 7 to the cast, though I thought it was simple pandering at first. I’d have rather had them add Amelia Earhart as a full time crew member. I liked her spunk. Another strong woman character, but more human than 7. She could have added a unique perspective, with her 300+ year outdated thinking.
Given that, the episodes written that featured Janeway and 7 working together were some of the better ones. The writers seemed to be able to write scenes for two women together that didn’t involve comparing breast sizes (I’m looking at you, TNG!). I liked those episodes better than any that featured any of the others, save for the Doctor.
Communications officer? Bob Newhart; just give that man a telephone and you’re golden. Watch Hell Is for Heroes if you don’t believe me.
I know that the cast seemed to agree.
I really think that Gene for all the talk of inclusiveness and such had some wired mad menesque ideas about women.