# Quick Star Trek introductory course for beginner **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 17, 2018, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-star-trek-introductory-course-for-beginner/821470 "2018-09-17T02:14:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2018, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-star-trek-introductory-course-for-beginner/821470/21 "2018-09-17T22:04:30Z")
Firstly, there was The Roddenberry. And the Roddenberry did speak The Word. And The Word was “Warp Speed”. And we saw that TOS was good. ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2018, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-star-trek-introductory-course-for-beginner/821470/22 "2018-09-17T22:12:37Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > In any case, you should throw in one of the lesser lights for each series, so that the viewer can get a better view of the whole. It’s this kind of thinking that really makes me question the idea of just showing the top tier episodes as an intro to a newbie. I can pick up any season of any Trek series and I can find wonderful shows and I can find drek. Honestly, IMHO, the best way to introduce someone to Trek is to start them on TNG, episode one of season _three_ and have them watch as long as their interest holds. By this time, the production staff were really beginning to hit their stride with good production values and solid writing. Yes they will stumble but on balance, these are very good shows, consistently, episode after episode. If they can’t find it in themselves to find value in the imperfect then I’m not sure what they expect to find. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2018, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-star-trek-introductory-course-for-beginner/821470/23 "2018-09-17T22:33:13Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > As long as you don’t show The Alternative Factor, or Genesis, you can’t ruin it. Some people even like Spock’s Brain. (It has its moments.) [Braaaaaaains!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzuXqzdYmTQ) ---
**Author:** ![JB99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/439d5e/32.png) [@JB99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JB99)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2018, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-star-trek-introductory-course-for-beginner/821470/24 "2018-09-17T23:08:16Z")
My essential list: 1. Amok Time (TOS) 2. Trouble with Tribbles (TOS) 3. Mirror, Mirror (TOS) 4 & 5. Best of Both Worlds (TNG) 1. I, Borg (TNG) 2. Emissary (DS9) 3. Trials and Tribble-ations (DS9) 4. In the Pale Moonlight (DS9) I tried to pick episodes that were not only superlative, but storylines that built on each other. (Eg “Best of Both Worlds” continues into “Emmisary.”) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-star-trek-introductory-course-for-beginner/821470/25 "2018-09-18T08:22:51Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > _Amok Time_ and _The City on the Edge of Forever._ You ninja’ed me. I would also add “Devil in the Dark.” ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-star-trek-introductory-course-for-beginner/821470/26 "2018-09-18T11:59:19Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Just on first blush, I think _The Trouble With Tribbles_ should be on that list. On blush 1 to n I’d take Tribbles off the list. I know it’s a fan favorite, but it’s camp and humor, which later trek did more of, but that episode is not representative of Star Trek IMHO. Since it all started with TOS I’d go with: 1. Balance of Terror 2. The City on the Edge of Forever 3. Devil in the Dark 4. Mirror, Mirror Depending on the time, you could add Space Seed and finish with Khan. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-star-trek-introductory-course-for-beginner/821470/27 "2018-09-18T12:15:56Z")
Stay away from that stinker re-boot movie that came out a while back. God, that was awful! ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2018, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-star-trek-introductory-course-for-beginner/821470/28 "2018-09-18T15:17:51Z")
You know, the Episode ‘Little Green Men’ from DS9 is actually a pretty good intro to the Ferengi. It’s the one where Quark and company end up back on Earth in the 1950s. It’s a good comedic idea-piece episode examining who we are and where we’ve come from. That’s what a good Star Trek episode should be about. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-star-trek-introductory-course-for-beginner/821470.md?page=1)