Star Trek Primer

[lunabee34]

It has come to my attention that some of you are unfamiliar with the Star Trek franchise.

*cries of blasphemy*

Instead of summary execution, I offer you this very basic compendium of the top ten episodes of each franchise and why they are Must See Trek TV. Also I might mention some novels. *snerk*



TOS

"Space Seed"--this is the episode where we first meet Khan Noonien Singh (yes, that Khan). It's must see backstory for what is arguably the best Trek movie of all time in addition to being some very insighful commentary on the fear of where manipulation of the human genome might lead.

"Court Martial"--Kirk is accused of causing a crewman's death. Who comes to the rescue? Two guesses to name the pointy eared bastard.

"The Devil in the Dark"--this is not the best episode ever of this show. But it is an episode in which the crew of the Enterprise encounters a being wholly alien and must deal with the ramifications of that difference.

"City on the Edge of Forever"--this is not just awesome for the Joan Collins guest spot. This is the episode of TOS that truly highlights for me the consequences of all the high-tech hikinks the crew gets up to. You can't screw around with time and the laws of the universe on a weekly basis and expect to walk away unscathed. Tear jerker out the wazoo.

"Amok Time"--this is the origin of the Vulcan mating cycle Pon Farr, currently happily infecting SGA. :)

"Mirror Mirror"--alternate universe! The bad guys wear goatees! *squee*

"The Trouble With Tribbles"--heeeeeeeeeee!

"Day of the Dove"--one of the gifts of Star Trek, any franchise, is that it takes very current issues and reworks them, much like the DOINKDOINK of Law and Order. This episode is no exception with its still prescient discussion of race relations.

"For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky"--um, dude. McCoy. I'm totally done with this description.

"Let that be your Last Battlefield"--again, another episode about race and the ridiculous and dangerous distinctions we draw between ourselves.

TNG

"Encounter at Farpoint Pts. 1-2"--yes, this only counts as a single episode. Sheesh. This is an excellent set up for the whole series. The characters will, naturally, grow from this starting point, but it's a great intro to the world of TNG.

"Elementary, Dear Data"--the Holodeck is a seriously awesome invention and here's what happens when it develops a mind of its own

"The Measure of a Man"--what makes a being sentient? What gives it agency? What gives it autonomy? Big ole questions, people.

"The Emissary"--because Suzie Plakson is never not hot. And Worf doing Suzie Plakson is never not hot.

"Best of Both Worlds Pts. 1-2"--what? This is perfectly legitimate. Borg. Locutus. Lots of casualties. Will become a linchpin for the DS9 franchise.

"Half a Life"--featuring Oberoth. LOL This is a really great look at the way in which all these different societies with different rules and mores attempt to coexist in the Federation. Also, Majel Barrett Roddenberry! Yayness!

"Darmok"--what are the limitations of language? How can we communicate with those who have zero referents for our ideas?

"Ethics"--Worf is paralyzed and the medical crew rushes to restore his health. My mom used to show this episode to her nursing students to spur conversation on medical ethics.

"Time's Arrow Pts. 1-2"--cause a good ole romp back to the 1800s is never unfun

"Parallels"--Worf! Deanna! AUs! Yay!

"Lower Decks"--because all good shows should have an episode focused on minor characters. What? I count in Cardassian.

"All Good Things"--because they come to an end; *sniff*

DS9

This is my favorite of the Trek franchises. As awesome as both TOS and TNG are, we get very little character development and most of the epiosdes are one-offs. DS9 gives just as much character growth to those characters on the periphery as it does the main cast and it is one long story arc that takes seven seasons to tell. I herein give up any pretense at keeping this at ten.

"The Emissary Pts. 1-2"--this is the set up for the whole show and lays out all the political and social issues that are mined for the next seven seasons

"Progress"--a planet is being evacuated and a farmer doesn't want to go; why do people stay in their homes even in the face of certain death? How can we ethically respond to that refusal?

"In the Hands of the Prophets"--Keiko's teachings don't jive with Bajoran religion; this is Bad News

"Blood Oath"--Dax's former host was BFF with a bunch of Klingons; Jadzia's affinity for Klingons will continue to be an integral part of the show; here she is kicking ass and taking names

"Crossover"--this is Mirror!verse DS9 style; oh, Mirror!Kira is so hot

"The Search Pt. 1-2"--the real bad guys rear their ugly heads and Odo learns more about who he is and where he came from

"Past Tense Pt. 1-2"--a handful of DS9 crew get thrown back in time and discover they play an integral role in Earth's history

"Visionary"--O'Brien! Sacrifice! Paradoxes! *sniffle*

"Family Business"--Quark's mom is stirring up the Ferengi with her feminist monkey business. What is Quark to do?

"The Visitor"--HANDS DOWN MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE TREK EPISODE EVER OF ALL TIME EVER; if this doesn't make you cry and your heart swell two sizes two big for your chest, you are broken and I can't help you. How much do one father and son love each other? How much will they sacrifice?

"Rejoined"--thanks for having some balls, Trek. You took that lameass episode with Crusher and the Trill and did it *right*. Genderqueer exploration.

"Nor the Battle to the Strong"--Jake learns that cowardice and honor are not the cut and dried categories he's always believed; the truths he learns about himself are hard to swallow but he faces them with the courage he doesn't believe he possesses

"Trials and Tribble-ations"--BECAUSE TRIBBLES NEVER GET UNAWESOME!!!!!!!!!!! Nor does the DS9 crew interacting with the TOS crew through the marvel of CGI.

"The Ascent"--one of my absolute favorite things about this franchise is the begruding friendship between Quark and Odo; this episode is a great example of that

"You are Cordially Invited"--Worf and Dax are getting married! Wooo woooo! and *preemptive sob*

"Far Beyond the Stars"--SO AWESOME YOU NEED NO PRIOR TREK KNOWLEDGE--this is about race relations in the 50s and about pulp writers and about the representation of women and African Americans in sci-fi and fantasy at that time; another tear jearker

"Tears of the Prophets"--RIP, Jadzia Dax *sob*

"Afterimage"--how the crew deals with Dax's new host

"It's Only a Paper Moon"--Nog has PTSD and he deals with it in an unconventional way

"Badda-Bing Badda-Bang"--DS9 could do fun like no other Trek franchise; this is just all smiley hearts and giggles

"What you Leave Behind"--and scene.

I got nothing on Voyager or Enterprise because I didn't watch them. *ducks*

Just a handful of the Trek books I've enjoyed over the years:

Yesterday's Son and Time for Yesterday by A.C. Crispin
The Wounded Sky by Diane Duane
Uhurah's Song by Janet Kagan
Dwellers in the Crucible by Margaret Wander Bonnano
Spock's World by Diane Duane
The Kobayashi Maru by Julia Ecklar

Every Trek novel by Peter David
Masks by John Vornholdt
Perchance to Dream by Howard Weinstein


How's that jive with your lists?

Comments

[chocgood84.livejournal.com]

See, here's the thing for me. But first, promise not to beat me in a bad way.

I LURVZEDZ the movie. If it were a man I would make wild passionate monkeylove to it. And I want there to be more. Much, much more.

But while I sometimes semi-liked TNG on TV and I enjoyed the movie that came out in the 90s (80s? IDK, it was something about time traveling where old kirk met new kirk, I think), I HATED the old show. Mostly because of Shatner. YE GODS DO I HATE WILLIAM SHATNER. He's like a hemroid and there's not enough cream in the world to get rid of him. It just always seemed so hokey to me. However, if they based a NEW new series off the newest movie, I'd probably like it. Maybe I'm just a child of really awesome special effects.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Only the good kinds of beatings, my Bradling.

I completely see your point. I mean, I was listening to Star Trek TOS in the womb so I was predisposed to like it. But, it's full of crappy special effects and retarded cost cutting measures. I think that the storylines and the dialogue are often genius, but it's all wrapped up in a sixties bow that makes that hard to see.

And Shatner hate, while I don't share it, is also completely understandable.

I'm just glad you're on board with the reboot because there's some seriously kickass yumminess going on there.

We went to see the movie with our friend Daxton and in the car, I remarked that there was some serious sexual tension between Captin Kirk and Uhura and Daxton said, "There was some serious sexual tension between Captain Kirk and me!" We laughed the whole way home.

[crevanfox.livejournal.com]

I have not seen the movie. I have doubts about what it will do to my franchise.

I was raised on trek. It's my second mother (after my actual mother). TNG and Dougie Howser were my role models.

So let me just say HELL yeah to your post.

Then let me say WTF! There are people in the world who haven't heard of Trek? *wibble* that - I don't even know, how- there are no words.

For TNG - I gotta say Sub Rosa (for creepy ghost story in space-now with sparkly sciency explanation,

the Hunted(for sheer hotness of male guest star, but also as the thinly veiled commentary on how Vietnam vets were treated, post war. I love heavy handed morality tales in my sci fi. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

Otherwise - awesome sauce on your lists. Tribbles! For the win.



Voyager: (the one with the female captain)

CareTaker pt 1 and 2 - if only to set up the entire premise.

Time and Again - trippy closed/open ended causality loop. If you like the science part of Trek, and temporal mechanics - which all captains, especially Janeway will bitch about to no end - then this ones a mindfrak.

Eye of the Needle - one of the saddest shows in the series

Persistence of Vision - one of my favourites. Kes (the least obvious choice) gets to be a hero. Also, cool hallucinations and creepy alien.

Cold Fire -another Kes one (she's my favourite, can you tell?) awesome graphics. Questions about duty to ones own actions, to ones species, to family(in a round about way)

Prototype - ever see the "his face is black on the right, white on the left, let us war ourselves into extinction because we are racist' episode from TOS? This is the Voyager version, but with a slighlty lighter hand.

Death Wish - what if a God just wanted to die? would he be allowed to commit suicide? should he?

Basics 1 and 2 - what a tragic ending. I love the questions raised about what constitutes a good person, and about our ability to overcome our darker sides.

Flashback-the one with Sulu! and Tuvok is a kiss ass.

The Chute - messed up episode. Another nature vs nurture story, only in a hellish prison.

Sacred Ground - where Janeway, the most scientific, least spiritual person on the ship has to confront her spiritual side- or a crew member dies. I'm not explaning it very well, but it really is a good episode.

Warlord - another Kes ep. Screw you, she's awesome and hot in skin tight leather

Blood Fever - a pon farr episode. Trekkers squee over vulcan puberty/horniness

Random Thoughts - thought police anyone? interesting ideas about privacy and the future of crime and morality. Also touches on the futility of expecting a totally peaceful society. There will always be crime.

Mortal Coil - another interesting religious questioning one.

Waking moments, cool for the same reasons as Persistence of Vision, but without Kes :(

The Omega Directive - religion, and duty to a job vs. personal feelings. Very interesting.

Counterpoint - whose mind fraking who? also telepaths, but they're the victims.

Bliss - a Pitcherplant in space. It'll give you everything you ever wanted. It will only cost you your life.

Course:Oblivion - the saddest episode of the franchise. It's so hopeless and sad it almost broke the Star Trek verse with it's lack of optimism.

Juggernaut - it's freakin scary!

Fair Haven - Janeway finds love...with a hologram. Questions about what constitutes a person.

I've far exceeded 10, so I'll stop, but yeah. Voyager. Probably my third fav, after TNG and DS9.

[crevanfox.livejournal.com]

damn, I can't stop myself

-Enterprise episodes.

Broken Bow 1 and 2- for starting theseries, and set up. not a personal fav.

Strange New World - the dangers of alien worlds on human phisology. Just cause it looks like Earth...

Unexpected - an MPreg story.

Dear Doctor - an ethical dilemma - the pre-beginnings of the Prime Directive

Carbon Creek - a tall tale about Vulcans crashing and secretly living on Earth in the 1950's

Singularity - the effects of a special kind of black hole causes OCD type effects in the crew. Both funny, and the beginning of the Red Alert

Bounty - the prerequiste pon farr episode. Why do Trekkers love them so?

Extinction - the crew turns into alienn monkeys, another funny, and also creepy ep.

Twilight - my favourite episode. An AU future, where huumanity has lost the war. The death throes of Archer/T'Pol, my personal 'ship for the show.

Bound - um? female empowerment theough pheromones? slutty Oriaon slave girls kick ass and take names? I guess. It's a cool episode.

In a Mirror Darkly 1 and 2 - the almost compulsary evil twin universe story, complete with new evil opening. If only this had been the actual opening for the entire series. I love the evil mirror universe,especially the mustaches (I didn't think T'Pol could pull off facial hair, but...)



Okay, I'm done, I'll stop now.

Sorry about the long comments. Damn my Trek blood, it boils at the worst time.

Picard is the best captain!

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

I didn't think T'Pol could pull off facial hair, but

*spittake*

Didn't need that keyboard. :)

I didn't watch Enterprise because I could not get past the horrific hair metal intro song. Terrible, huh?

A-fucking men to Picard being the best captain. He can captain me anywhere--in the holodeck, in the captain's chair, in the shuttlebay.....

[crevanfox.livejournal.com]

No, I completely understand your hatred for that song. It damn near ruined the series. I used to sing over top of it my rendition of Sting, singing Save the Children (I live in a castle, won't you give me money..., do it for the CHILDREN!)

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Bwahahahahahahahahahhahahahha

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Well, they've *heard* of it, just not imbibed. LOL

Thank you so much for this. I didn't watch Voyager because it switched to a network I couldn't receive close to the beginning of its run and I've just never gotten around to Netflixing. The isolated episodes I've seen have been really good, though, so that is on the to-do list.

ETA: You are making me want to watch this like right now.

[kaydee23.livejournal.com]

I didn't watch all of Enterprise, but I did watch Voyager. I loved it. I think DS9 was my favorite, though, although Jean Luc is my favorite Enterprise commander.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

We are the same then because DS9 is my fave and JLP is my fave captain.

:)

[kaleecat]

At some point I'll have to use your list to catch up on DS9, Voyager & Enterprise. For most of the runs of the first two I couldn't watch them as the local station (here in the 'burg) lost their rights to air it after they pre-empted Voyager for a football game.

However, of DS9 eps, hard time is the one that I went out and bought because my God what an amazing ep for O'Brien.

I am a child of TOS, I watched & loved TNG, but TOS was my first love. I remember it was on after school. I remember sobbing in the movie theater over Wrath of Khan. Oh, the love. McCoy was my favorite so I'm thrilled you included For the World is Hollow on your list. I would also include The Empath as that episode truly showcases how deeply these three men care for eachother. I'm also a big Scotty fan so I always enjoyed those eps. Oddly enough Devil in the Dark was on late last night.

As for TNG, you hit the highpoints & I too would have included Lower Decks. However, I would also include Yesterday's Enterprise and Cause and Effect b/c after all how can you beat blowing up the Enterprise in the first 2 minutes? Oh, and also that one with Riker & the play & being confused as to whether he really is imprisoned on another planet (the title escapes me).

If you love Darmok, which I do and have actually used it in classes. You should read Janet Kagan's book Hellspark, it's a sci-fi murder mystery wrapped up in an excellent lesson on intercultural communication on all levels (verbal & nonverbal).

Speaking of Janet Kagan, isn't Uhura's Song one of the best Trek books ever? I adore that book and was always crushed that we never got a sequel. Kagan explains why on her website, basically it was because they wouldn't let her bring back Evan.

My other novelization faves are The Vulcan Academy Murders and Tears of the Singers and Ishmael. These are the four I kept when I sold everything else.

Tailkinker to Ennien

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

Oh, man, I have read and loved every single one of those books. Loved them.

I really like the way that the novels made Uhura a real and fleshed out character in a way she often was not on the show.

Is that what happened Re: Voyager in the 'Burg? I just thought they sold the show to UPN; I didn't realize it was shenanigans on the part of the network.

[tabaqui]

The very best - in my mind - Star Trek fic was the first book - Star Trek Lives! OMG. My brother had that, and i read it over and over and over. I can still remember some lines from my favorite store - Mind Sifter - and one of them always make me tear up.

:)

Your list rocks.

[lunabee34.livejournal.com]

;)

I don't think I've actually read that one, which, *boggles*. I bet my mom has it, though. I'll check for it when I visit. Thanks for the rec.