# Which ST:TOS episodes have aged most poorly? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted, star-trek-paramount\ **Created:** [December 29, 2022, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282 "2022-12-29T15:00:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282/121 "2023-01-06T02:01:04Z")
What we know about early Kirk: “He was a stack of books with legs” He nearly married that little blonde Mitchell sent his way He was on the Kodos planet. He was on the Farragut for the Cloud Vampire incident As others have pointed out, he sleeps with Mirnamee (as an amnesiac) IMO Elaan (though the lists for such things usually dont include her) under the influence of her tears, the slave girl when he’s going to die the next day and the that chick from Wink of an Eye. These last two are also, I think, supposition. But they’re in my head canon. Meanwhile, a recently seriously injured-Riker bangs Space Lilith when he’s supposed to be escaping from the hospital. Hey, I’m not ragging on him! More power to Riker! ---
**Author:** ![Pavelb1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/439d5e/32.png) [@Pavelb1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pavelb1)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282/122 "2023-01-06T02:05:51Z")
Kind of difficult quantify ‘romance episode’ for Spock, but there’s the girl from “This Side of Paradise”. His fiancee from Amok Time, the Romulan Commander from The Enterprise Incident, Mariette Harley from All Our Yesterdays,…maybe none of these are actually romance episodes…but he sure does a lot better then Scotty in Lights of Zetar or Chekov in The Apple. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282/123 "2023-01-06T02:09:18Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > IIRC Spock, Scotty, McCoy, & Chekov all had 1 romance episode over the course of TOS. Not counting Chekov’s drill thrall. Spock had a relationship with Mariette Hartley (“Zarabeth”) in the episode where they go back in time to another planet’s ice age. He had his horny Ponn Farr with T’Pring, his finacee’ in Amok Time. There was also the romance on the spore planet with Leila, when the spores made him feel emotion. He seduced a Romulan Commander the same way Kirk seduced enemy women. And of course, there was Christine Chapel, a stand-in for the unrequited Spock love a lot of his fans felt. That was a recurring plot element. The mind controllers even made him kiss her. And if I recall correctly there were a couple of other women that came on to him only to be rebuffed because of his Vulcan emotionlessness. Even Uhura looked interested, and in the Abrams movies they were an item. Young spock also had his Ponn Farr virginity taken from him by Lt. Saavik (The Robin Curtis Saavik). For a person without emotion, Spock got a lot of action. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282/124 "2023-01-06T02:31:59Z")
> [@Pavelb1](#): > > and the that chick from Wink of an Eye. These last two are also, I think, supposition. But they’re in my head canon. In _Wink of an Eye_ Deela says she needs Kirk to help repopulate her planet, and there’s a scene in his quarters where she’s combing her hair and he’s putting on his boots. In the '60s, that was practically R rated. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282/125 "2023-01-06T02:51:58Z")
> [@Pavelb1](#): > > Meanwhile, a recently seriously injured-Riker bangs Space Lilith when he’s supposed to be escaping from the hospital. Hey, I’m not ragging on him! More power to Riker! Actually, Space Lilith was the aggressor in that one. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/gaqpS6iQJx4/maxresdefault.jpg "The Funniest Scene from Star Trek TNG") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaqpS6iQJx4) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282/126 "2023-01-06T03:48:36Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > > [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > > > The list is off by at least one: Ariel Shaw in _Court Martial_ > > Yup, you’re right, I accidentally skipped Areel, while reading through the (very long) list of Kirk’s romances. So, _five_ (known) former lovers. “All of my old friends look like doctors. All of Jim’s look like her.” - Dr. McCoy (paraphrased) ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282/127 "2023-01-06T04:37:19Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > There was also the romance on the spore planet with Leila, when the spores made him feel emotion. The thing is, that ep and the Dohlman, a Private Little War, and others, all lack consent. The ST:Enterprise ep Unexpected is the most egregious, IMHO, but perhaps a future thread will call out the double standard on consent as having as aged bad as the miniskirts. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282/128 "2023-01-06T07:10:58Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > I thought part of the problem was that the networks didn’t want Star Trek to be a vehicle for one of Gene’s mistresses. They didn’t ask him to fire Nichelle Nichols. I rather think that in 1965 sexism was a better explanation than studio opposition to a producer having an affair. I don’t recall when he married Majel, but having her play a nurse was clearly not an issue. ---
**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:** [January 6, 2023, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282/129 "2023-01-06T13:14:10Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > They could, but they might end up being _evil_ blankets, all itchy and stuff. And have smallpox. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282/130 "2023-01-06T16:37:59Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > …I don’t recall when he married Majel, but having her play a nurse was clearly not an issue. Looks like they wed in August 1969 (in a Shinto ceremony in Japan), just two months after the last _TOS_ episode aired. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282/131 "2023-01-06T16:59:58Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > DS9 clip, cued to relevant spot I was thinking of this the other day. _Tribbles_ is one of the most beloved TOS episodes of all time, yet its most iconic line of dialogue is “_We do not speak of this time_.” ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282/132 "2023-01-06T20:45:30Z")
The story that’s told in Herb Solow and Robert Justman’s book _Inside Star Trek: The Real Story_ is that NBC executives didn’t like the idea of Roddenberry using their money to give his girlfriend a leading role, and the “they didn’t want a woman in a position of authority” thing was just a story Roddenberry told to make himself look better. Making her an occasional recurring character, they didn’t mind so much. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282/133 "2023-01-11T19:44:21Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > I was thinking of this the other day. _Tribbles_ is one of the most beloved TOS episodes of all time, yet its most iconic line of dialogue is “_We do not speak of this time_.” I’m sure you meant that the line was from the DS9 episode. I read that Roddenberry was not a fan of the episode because he wasn’t that in to humorous ones. > [@MrAtoz](#): > > The story that’s told in Herb Solow and Robert Justman’s book _Inside Star Trek: The Real Story_ is that NBC executives didn’t like the idea of Roddenberry using their money to give his girlfriend a leading role, and the “they didn’t want a woman in a position of authority” thing was just a story Roddenberry told to make himself look better. Making her an occasional recurring character, they didn’t mind so much. From the snippets of interviews book it was clear that Roddenberry pissed off lots of people. I’m sure the answer is somewhere in the middle, I’m just having a problem with the suits having a sudden fit of moralism over nepotism (kind of.) And that sexism had nothing to do with it. The suits didn’t much like Spock either, but got over it. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282/134 "2023-01-11T20:16:54Z")
Well, I like Spock. Nosing around the internet because of this thread led me to this. [Leonard Nimoy’s Advice To A Biracial Girl In 1968 : Code Switch : NPR](https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2015/02/27/389589676/leonard-nimoys-advice-to-a-biracial-girl-in-1968) ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2023, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282/135 "2023-01-11T22:56:57Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > I’m sure you meant that the line was from the DS9 episode. I read that Roddenberry was not a fan of the episode because he wasn’t that in to humorous ones. I assume you meant he did not like _The Trouble with Tribbles_ TOS episode, because he was almost 2 years into his dirt nap before DS9 even got started. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282/136 "2023-01-12T06:18:08Z")
Yup. I used to listen to the Mission Log podcast, which was produced by Gene’s son, and it was fascinating how little they liked the humorous episodes of TOS. I have no opinion I’m willing to share on Kirk vs Picard, but Kirk was funnier. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282/137 "2023-01-12T06:30:18Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Kirk was funnier Picard was Bud Abbot to the crewstello – kind of like Spock was. ---
**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:** [January 12, 2023, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282/138 "2023-01-12T13:49:24Z")
Speaking of Tribbles - It was played for laughs that Scotty beamed “the whole kit and kabootle” over to the Klingon engine room, _immediately after_ the horrified reactions of the bridge crew to the idea the Scotty spaced them. What exactly did they think the Klingons, a race of villainous killers, were going to do with an engine room of angry tribbles? “We got phasers, I vote we blast them!” “Do you still sing songs of the Great Tribble hunt?” That was a very cruel ending. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282/139 "2023-01-12T14:43:27Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > That was a very cruel ending. But a very necessary one. Tribbles off their home planet are an ecological menace and must be eradicated. Might as well get a jab in at the Klingons while you’re at it. ---
**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:** [January 12, 2023, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282/140 "2023-01-12T15:48:22Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Might as well get a jab in at the Klingons while you’re at it. But what I’m saying is, well, let the crew say it. KIRK: Mister Scott. Where are the tribbles? SCOTT: I used the transporter, Captain. KIRK: You used the transporter? SCOTT: Aye. KIRK: Where did you transport them? Scott, you didn’t transport them into space, did you? SCOTT: Captain Kirk, that’d be inhuman. KIRK: Where are they? SCOTT: I gave them a good home, sir. KIRK: (shouting) Where? SCOTT: I gave them to the Klingons, sir. KIRK: (a whisper) You gave them to the Klingons? SCOTT: Aye, sir. Before they went into warp, I transported the whole kit and caboodle into their engine room, where they’ll be no tribble at all. Indeed! In about ten minutes, there literally will _be_ “no tribble at all.” You can’t both think transporting them into space is inhuman while in the next breath thinking a ship full of Klingons are going to treat the (at least) one million seven hundred seventy one thousand five hundred sixty one tribbles as anything more than trash. Just because Scotty didn’t inhumanely space them, he made it possible for the klingons to do just that. Or worse. The more I think about it, the madder I get. And I blame David Gerrold, who was never half as clever as he thought he was. eta: Transporting tribbles off the ship using the conventional transporter is probably just like eating at a new restaurant in NYC every day. You’ll never run out of either one. Tribbles (and restaurants!) will appear faster than you can remove them [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-st-tos-episodes-have-aged-most-poorly/977282.md?page=8)