# Worst Star Trek (TOS) episode? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 16, 2014, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-star-trek-tos-episode/678942 "2014-01-16T04:06:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 12
**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:** [January 24, 2014, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-star-trek-tos-episode/678942/221 "2014-01-24T21:20:38Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > For me, one of the most 60s of ep ideas was _A Private Little War_. Two superpowers arming and interfering with a local conflict screams VIETNAM! to me. Altho, I guess we could cite Korea as an influence as well. The Korean War seems to me more as a direct result of WWII, whereas Vietnam was more political. But I digress. All that I recall of A Private Little War is the horned-guy-in-a-white-gorilla-suit, the Klingons introducing the rifled barrel, and the girl. How did Kirk end the conflict? ---
**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:** [January 24, 2014, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-star-trek-tos-episode/678942/222 "2014-01-24T21:23:07Z")
Didn’t end it, but gave them a tech edge. I think it was something like a better firing mech for their rifles. And then explained it would have to happen again when the commie Klingons gave their side a one up. And so on… The Mugatu was the only honorable creature in that entire episode. . ---
**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 24, 2014, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-star-trek-tos-episode/678942/223 "2014-01-24T21:27:19Z")
Not an edge, just parity. Kirk has Scotty fabricate 100 flintlocks to give to the side that didn’t have them. That way they could kill each other on more equal terms. Three cheers for the Prime Directive! ---
**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:** [January 24, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-star-trek-tos-episode/678942/224 "2014-01-24T21:43:04Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Not an edge, just parity. Kirk has Scotty fabricate 100 flintlocks to give to the side that didn’t have them. That way they could kill each other on more equal terms. > > Three cheers for the Prime Directive! Well, damn. More like social commentary than a science fiction story. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-star-trek-tos-episode/678942/225 "2014-01-24T22:31:12Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Transporter Protocols, Lesson One: Scan first, beam second. They were under mind-control, or illusions, or some’at, weren’t they? They might have thought they saw a safe landing position. (Been too damn long since I saw that’n – which may ultimately be a good thing…) ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2014, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-star-trek-tos-episode/678942/226 "2014-01-24T22:39:12Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > They were under mind-control, or illusions, or some’at, weren’t they? They might have thought they saw a safe landing position. (Been too damn long since I saw that’n – which may ultimately be a good thing…) Correct - so far as they knew - they were still in orbit - until scotty looked out the window. ---
**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:** [January 25, 2014, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-star-trek-tos-episode/678942/227 "2014-01-25T02:42:05Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > Didn’t end it, but gave them a tech edge. I think it was something like a better firing mech for their rifles. It was just arming them with flintlocks. Up to then, only the villagers had the “firesticks,” and the Hill People used bows and arrows. The Klingons were about to up the ante by giving their side an upgrade (a more secure powder pan, probably with a frizzen). Rifled barrels were coming later. ---
**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 25, 2014, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-star-trek-tos-episode/678942/228 "2014-01-25T03:01:25Z")
Just give our guys phasers and be done with it! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-star-trek-tos-episode/678942.md?page=11)