# What's your favorite TYPE of Star Trek episode? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 14, 2018, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349 "2018-09-14T17:44:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349/1 "2018-09-14T17:44:08Z")
The categories: 1.)Spacial Anomaly (hole is space, Dyson’s spear, etc…) 2.) Character development (Data gets a girlfriend, Picard’s various GFs, Barclay and his phobias, etc…) 3.) Q (self explanatory) 4.) Klingons 5.) Borg 6.) Alien of the week 7.) Holodeck malfunction 8.) Time travel 9.) Something else I realize there is a lot of overlap in the categories. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349/2 "2018-09-14T18:47:53Z")
I voted “something else” - “visit to humanoid planet that’s a thinly papered-over allegory for some current political/social issue” I love their damn _earnestness_. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349/3 "2018-09-14T19:03:36Z")
I like the space battles. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349/4 "2018-09-14T19:30:49Z")
The time travel episodes are always the best. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349/5 "2018-09-14T19:38:01Z")
I picked Q episodes. But I like one _Voyager_ time travel 2-parter because they hung out with Sarah Silverman. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349/6 "2018-09-14T19:44:49Z")
I like the Borg episodes. They are just so uber freaky. I still want to know about the Borg baby Seven found when they came upon the Borg kids in a Voyager episode. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349/7 "2018-09-14T19:52:57Z")
I’m surprised “time travel” is a front runner so far. People on this board often complain about the TT episodes. (I’ve always liked them. except for the 7 of 9 one) ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349/8 "2018-09-14T19:56:09Z")
I went with “Spacial Anomaly” (spatial?). “Alien of the Week” would work as well. I’m interested in the exploring and discovering, I don’t really care that much about the rest of it. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349/9 "2018-09-14T19:59:17Z")
1. Think pieces. “Who Watches the Watchers”, “Drumhead”,that sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349/10 "2018-09-14T20:20:40Z")
[Dyson Sphere.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyson_sphere) ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349/11 "2018-09-14T20:38:37Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > [Dyson Sphere.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyson_sphere) I can’t believe I flubbed that up. :o ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349/12 "2018-09-14T20:49:14Z")
I went with “Klingons”, with the understanding that that same category also applies to other recurring villainous alien races like the Romulans and Cardassians. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349/13 "2018-09-14T20:55:39Z")
Come on guys… No love for Holodeck malfunctions? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349/14 "2018-09-14T21:00:48Z")
I picked Spacial Anomaly. What I really like is when there’s a problem, and they apply Treknobabble™ to their existing systems, modifying them on the fly, and address the problem, and fly away. Its best if they can do it without hand-holding, hand wringing, tearful growth. Come to think of it, I like _some_ character development, but only if: Worf learns how to be a Real™ Klingon, while still addressing a thorny subject outside of the Real Klingon idiom. or Quark learns how to channel his Ferengi greed for the greater good and greed of all people. I seem to recall him criticizing Brunt when he connived to become Nagus – but I can only paraphrase: Ishka: Well, Brunt will be a great Nagus, he’ll bring down the Ferengi Alliance, just to enrich himself, just like a Ferengi ought to. Quark: No Mom. A Nagus is supposed to be bigger than that. A Nagus’s greed is supposed transcend his own for the greater greed of the entire alliance. Iska should have said, “You’ve spent too much time around _hoo-mans_, Quark” I just don’t care much for Data gets a girlfriend or Picard drinks wine and calls his older brother a bully or Riker fights his father, and finds out his father cheats to beat him. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349/15 "2018-09-14T21:29:56Z")
I picked Alien of the Week, which I take to mean “visit to humanoid planet that’s a thinly papered-over allegory for some current political/social issue”. Episodes in this category run the gamut from Errand of Mercy to Spock’s Brain, from Encounter at Farpoint to arguably The Inner Light. Second would be character development episodes like Court Martial or Data’s Day, or, arguably, The Inner Light. ---
**Author:** ![Scoobysnax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Scoobysnax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scoobysnax)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349/16 "2018-09-14T21:35:49Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > Come on guys… No love for Holodeck malfunctions? 😃 I enjoyed the few times that they used that plot device in TNG, mostly because the holodecks were a new idea in that series. IMO they used the holodeck way too much by the time they got to Voyager. I mostly liked the episodes that were different from the standard monster of the week. Episodes that I liked (all TNG): - Inner light - Lower Decks - Time’s arrow - The one where Dr. Crusher got stuck in a warp bubble that was shrinking. Remember me? - The one where the enterprise was frozen in time. - The one with Laforge and Ro out of phase with everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349/17 "2018-09-14T21:41:03Z")
> [@Larry\_Borgia](#): > > I like the space battles. I also like it when they show Starfleet doing military stuff, less so when they try to pretend it’s not a military. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349/18 "2018-09-14T21:44:23Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > I can’t believe I flubbed that up. :o I was wondering which episode that was, until I figured it out. I think someone should write an episode called “Dyson’s Spear”, though. It could be a cool wormhole or weapon or something. Maybe even a bar. Nah, a bar would be “Dyson’s Beer”, wouldn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349/19 "2018-09-14T21:51:51Z")
> [@Scoobysnax](#): > > - The one with Laforge and Ro out of phase with everyone else. They could walk through walls, but didn’t sink through the floor. :dubious: Some time travel episodes fellated with great allacrity, and there were too many of them, although many people and I regard _The City on the Edge of Forever_ was the best Trek episode. There was a Trek book concerning a Dyson Sphere, but I have the impression that it was a science fiction story a guy changed to a Star Trek setting to be able to be published. OP: Where does _The Wrath of Kahn_ fall in your definitions? ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2018, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349/20 "2018-09-14T22:01:23Z")
You forgot clip show! Shades of Grey Or eps where Tasha Yar dies Skin of Evil Yesterday’s Enterprise (I figure it’s kind of by implication, but yeah, she’s toast) Or eps with Dinosaurs! On a SPACE SHIP! Distant Origins (with special appearance by Matt Smith) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-type-of-star-trek-episode/821349.md?page=2)