# Worst epsisode of star trek **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 12, 2016, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964 "2016-02-12T20:27:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964/61 "2016-02-13T22:54:14Z")
“The Lights of Zetar.” Scotty is my favorite character and this show made me want to slap the shit outta him. Cry-baby. ---
**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:** [February 13, 2016, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964/62 "2016-02-13T22:58:12Z")
> [@btcg](#): > > 1- The Trouble w/Tribbles. (TOS) > 2-Can’t recall the name… again, original series… the schtick is an exact duplicate of Kirk (the ‘evil’ as opposed to the original ‘good’ captain) is created. It’s a horrible episode. > > Which is worse?? Either blowz. #1 - WRONG!! Thank you for laying. We have some lovely parting gifts for you as you leave. #2 - OK, this one I’ll give you. Not for the split-Kirks, but for the stupidity exhibited by everybody trying to save the landing party. Blankets, people. Send them evil blankets. ---
**Author:** ![btcg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@btcg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/btcg)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964/63 "2016-02-13T23:02:18Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > #1 - WRONG!! Thank you for laying. We have some lovely parting gifts for you as you leave. > > #2 - OK, this one I’ll give you. Not for the split-Kirks, but for the stupidity exhibited by everybody trying to save the landing party. Blankets, people. Send them evil blankets. C’MON… you liked TTWT??? So, you’re the one. Nice to meet you. ---
**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:** [February 13, 2016, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964/64 "2016-02-13T23:21:47Z")
Pakleds! You think we are not smart. We are smart. We look for things. Things to make us go. . ---
**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:** [February 13, 2016, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964/65 "2016-02-13T23:23:46Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > I love that episode. That’s the one where Riker fucks that sharp tonged Irish girl with in like ten minutes of meeting her. And the drunken old fatherly type was hilarious in his scene with Worf. Send In the Clones ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2016, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964/66 "2016-02-13T23:26:21Z")
> [@btcg](#): > > C’MON… you liked TTWT??? > > So, you’re the one. Nice to meet you. I loved the Trouble with Tribbles. There’s a reason it’s considered a classic. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964/67 "2016-02-14T00:11:17Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > I loved the Trouble with Tribbles. There’s a reason it’s considered a classic. Yep! It consistently wins high places in polls of the best Star Trek episodes! The idea that “only one guy” likes it is exceptionally silly. You can still find tribbles on sale in the dealers’ room at any s.f. convention! ---
**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:** [February 14, 2016, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964/68 "2016-02-14T00:36:34Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Yep! It consistently wins high places in polls of the best Star Trek episodes! The idea that “only one guy” likes it is exceptionally silly. You can still find tribbles on sale in the dealers’ room at any s.f. convention! Plus they did a sequel in ST:TAS and of course the DS9 crew went back in time to the episode. The Enemy Within, written by Richard Matheson, was far more psychologically sophisticated that any TV sf at that time, excepting Outer Limits episodes written by Harlan, perhaps. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964/69 "2016-02-14T01:13:21Z")
I think the third season episode (TOS) “The Empath” was really lousy. By the way here’s an episode list of TOS: > **[List of Star Trek: The Original Series episodes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Trek:_The_Original_Series_episodes)** > > Created by Gene Roddenberry, the science fiction television series Star Trek (which eventually acquired the retronym Star Trek: The Original Series) starred William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk, Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock, and DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy aboard the fictional Federation starship USS Enterprise. The series originally aired from September 1966 through June 1969 on NBC. > This is the first television series in the Star Trek franchise, and comprises 79 regular ... ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964/70 "2016-02-14T01:58:00Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > Watching Trek as a kid in the 70s I enjoyed both Omega Glory and Alternative Factor. Omega Glory does have a ludicrous ending (our flag & Constitution?!?) and is just a red scare, anti-commie bit of nonsense, but that went completely over my head back then. Yes, but even as a kid, I knew it was wrong. TOS wasn’t exactly like TNG, but the moral principles of Starfleet were definitely made of new concepts over the centuries. The US constitution and US flag were just out of place. And the Yangs are “like us” and the Lohms aren’t? What the hell, you have an Asian and a Russian and a black woman in positions of authority, Starfleet was supposed to be above all this. Its just an episode that you want to forget, no matter how bad the ending of space hippy episode is, at least it has some good moments, like SPock p[laying music with them. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2016, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964/71 "2016-02-14T03:59:40Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > “Assignment: Earth” > > I could never stand Teri Garr… You need to seek professional mental health assistance, sooner better than later. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964/72 "2016-02-14T05:43:08Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > You need to seek professional mental health assistance, sooner better than later. Clearly one of us does. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964/73 "2016-02-14T05:51:09Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > _Let That Be Your Last Battlefield_ with the ponderously hammering message about racism. And _Turnabout Intruder_ with its premise that in the Federation future women would of course not be allowed to be starship captains. The only person claiming that women weren’t allowed to be starship captains turned out to insane. Don’t get me wrong; that episode was terrible, but I don’t think we’re meant to take Janice Lester’s ranting seriously. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964/74 "2016-02-14T06:21:21Z")
Whats the TOS episode where they get Klingons on board and then an alien makes all the modern weapons disappear and they have only have swords to go after each other? While the sword fighting was cool I found it pretty hard to believe. Then their was the TNG episode where all the crewmen start de-evolving and one turns into a spider and Worf turns into wolfman. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964/75 "2016-02-14T06:26:54Z")
> [@Arkcon](#): > > Yes, but even as a kid, I knew it was wrong. TOS wasn’t exactly like TNG, but the moral principles of Starfleet were definitely made of new concepts over the centuries. The US constitution and US flag were just out of place. And the Yangs are “like us” and the Lohms aren’t? What the hell, you have an Asian and a Russian and a black woman in positions of authority, Starfleet was supposed to be above all this. > > Its just an episode that you want to forget, no matter how bad the ending of space hippy episode is, at least it has some good moments, like SPock p[laying music with them. Well, to defend the writers’ thinking, that planet’s civilization was centuries behind even our current one (though I think there was some implication of a past nuclear holocaust setting them back). And they weren’t ‘Lohms’, they were ‘Kohms’, short for communists. Yeah, it was written by Roddenberry and he was a virulent anti-communist. And an atheist. And a casting-couch using horn-dog. _Private Little War_ was an even more obvious parallel with Vietnam (also written by Roddenberry). [Here’s an interesting analysis of the episode on YouTube.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0Njoa29Ii8) > [@alphaboi867](#): > > The only person claiming that women weren’t allowed to be starship captains turned out to insane. Don’t get me wrong; that episode was terrible, but I don’t think we’re meant to take Janice Lester’s ranting seriously. That’s been a fan-wank retcon debate for decades now. Even if it was just her crazy ramblings the episode heavy-handedly implies that strong, power hungry women must be crazy. But I love it for Shatner’s extra great scene-chewing as a crazy woman (and the homoerotic-ness of his scenes with her lover). 😃 > [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Whats the TOS episode where they get Klingons on board and then an alien makes all the modern weapons disappear and they have only have swords to go after each other? While the sword fighting was cool I found it pretty hard to believe. That was _[Day of the Dove](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_the_Dove)_ and it was actually a pretty good episode. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964/76 "2016-02-14T06:38:50Z")
There have been numerous variations on this thread over the years, and what’s most interesting to me is that nobody ever seems to nominate ANY DS9 episode as worst ever. Was DS9 then the best ST series? ---
**Author:** ![btcg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@btcg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/btcg)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964/77 "2016-02-14T14:13:22Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Yep! It consistently wins high places in polls of the best Star Trek episodes! The idea that “only one guy” likes it is exceptionally silly. You can still find tribbles on sale in the dealers’ room at any s.f. convention! Let’s see… voted in ‘high places’ by people who dress up in Star Trek costumes and attend conventions? You were saying about silly? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![btcg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@btcg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/btcg)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964/78 "2016-02-14T14:20:16Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > There have been numerous variations on this thread over the years, and what’s most interesting to me is that nobody ever seems to nominate ANY DS9 episode as worst ever. Was DS9 then the best ST series? Trekies are a groug that never seem to question even the basics, like why was does a French Captain have an English accent? ---
**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:** [February 14, 2016, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964/79 "2016-02-14T14:36:10Z")
Easily fan-wanked by mentioning the outcome of the 2nd Hundred Years War. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2016, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964/80 "2016-02-14T14:42:08Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > Well, to defend the writers’ thinking, that planet’s civilization was centuries behind even our current one (though I think there was some implication of a past nuclear holocaust setting them back). And they weren’t ‘Lohms’, they were ‘Kohms’, short for communists. Since it was made clear that the planet had fought the nuclear war Earth avoided, it makes perfect sense that the two factions would be “Americans” and “Chinese.” I see nothing racist in that. The latter are actually the “good guys” through most of the episode, which is really a pretty good “Prime Directive” story up until the fourth act. > [@](#): > > That’s been a fan-wank retcon debate for decades now. Even if it was just her crazy ramblings the episode heavy-handedly implies that strong, power hungry women must be crazy. But I love it for Shatner’s extra great scene-chewing as a crazy woman (and the homoerotic-ness of his scenes with her lover). The message I got from it was that no one as batshit crazy as Janice Lester would be allowed to command a starship, and not that women in general were excluded. It was her own self-hatred that caused her to denigrate womanhood in the form of trapped-in-her-body Kirk. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-epsisode-of-star-trek/745964.md?page=5)