(Some of your) Favourite Episodes

JayRoc

Something totally positive; episodes we love of the show we love!

Mine...

TOS: Conscience of the king.

TNG: Parallels.

DS9: Duet.

Evade

In no particular order and not definitive, just the first episodes that sprang to mind.

DS9: Once More Unto the Breach - great send off for a minor character

Voy: Shattered - a lot of fun going around the time periods

Ent: Damage - consequences the episode

TOS: Balance of Terror - why is Spock's dad on a Romulan ship?

TNG: Cause and Effect - timeloops are great. The no two loops have the same blocking was a great touch by Frakes. Honourable mention to the two Captain Data episodes

LD: I haven't seen any of them more than once, yet, so none spring to mind

JayRoc

Other favourites of mine include the type of episode that many people seem to hate;

the played-for-laughs, holodeck-fantasy type, ie A Piece Of The Action, The Big Goodbye, and His Way (I know loads of people hate that last one in particular).

I don't really have a favourite Voyager ep. I've only watched it once (on my 2nd run-through now) and tbh I don't really have a single episode of it that I feel strongly about.

Lower Decks, I suppose the season one finale was the strongest of what we have seen so far.

That's it. There are no other Star Trek Shows that I know of 😊

odyssey06

For DS9

There's too many to mention in full, so I'll overlook the usual 'standout' episodes to name check:

The two-parter The Die is Cast and Improbable Cause where the Cardassian \ Founders \ Enabran Tain plots come together.

On the quirky front...

Civil Defense (Dukat is marvellous in it)

Dramatis Personae (I like the claustrophic atmosphere).

And I have a soft spot for early season 1 episode Captive Pursuit... Tosk seems to have some elements of Jemhadar in him but it was never followed up alas.

JayRoc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118262429#Comment_118262429

I remember thinking that about Tosk (actually his pursuers had even more of a Jem Hadar vibe)

Rawr

I`m going to throw in TNG Season 2’s Contagion.

I remember my first viewing way back in the day and being blown away by the chilling destruction of the USS Yamato. Throw in the creeping dread of the ship falling apart with the mystery of the Iconians, and you’ve got an episode I love to revisit.

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118265965#Comment_118265965

There were a few episodes in season 2 that went for a 'things beyond' vibe... following on from Skin of Evil.

Where Silence Has Lease

The Royale

Time Squared

... this was also the season with Up the Long Ladder!

Evade

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118266005#Comment_118266005

Nagilum scared the crap out of me everytime I saw Where Silence has Leaseas a 7-9 year old watching Star Trek in a dark room at 10pm.

odyssey06

Again, avoiding the 'renowned' episodes like Yesterday's Enterprise, or the 'big' episodes or Q episodes... picking the ones that I seemed to like more than most.

From TNG Season 1, The Last Outpost and The Battle - when they thought the Ferengi might be the major villains for the series. Then they decided to play the Ferengi for laughs and bring back the Romulans.

I like the air of menace to Conspiracy, and how they hinted at it in previous episodes... but let down by some cheesy effects.

And from TNG Season 3, I thought these dealt with classic Trek themes, and could've been TOS episodes:

* The Survivors

* Who Watches the Watchers

* Transfigrations

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118266036#Comment_118266036

I hope you were a bit older and better able to face Night Terrors when it aired!

odyssey06

TNG Season 5 - Conundrum

TNG Season 6 - Rascals, The Chase, Rightful Heir

I know The Chase gets a lot of criticism for being a bit of a 'Just So' story, but I like how the story unfolded... Picard's mentor, paths not taken, and a chance to see Romulans, Klingons and Cardassians in the same episode.

JayRoc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118266005#Comment_118266005

Actually, my two favourite season 2 TNG eps (at least the ones I have watched the most, as they're the most fun) are The Royale and Up The Long Ladder!!!

Evade

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118266155#Comment_118266155

Probably around the same age but it didn't scare me as much

JayRoc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118266188#Comment_118266188

Rascals? Woah. And I thought some of my favourites were controversial

odyssey06

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118266328#Comment_118266328

Oh Im not making any claims for it as a great Trek episode ... I have a feeling I must have watched it when in need of some light hearted diversion.

Similiar for True Q.

Birthright had some good elements but didnt quite come together for me. Ditto for Times Arrow.

From Season 6 the top episodes would be:

Chain of Command

Face of the Enemy

Descent

DoctorEdgeWild

The Drumhead (S4,21,TNG) is an episode I go back to over and over. All the things that make courtroom dramas great, non preachy commentary on what is now called 'cancel culture', racism, justice/injustice - a near perfect episode. Brilliantly played and put together. Picard is at his best in this one.

Counterpoint (S5,10, VOY) is a great episode which has lots of classic spy novel style betrayal/double cross. Also features that classic Star Trek theme of racism/segregation/xenophobia/fear of the unknown, but without being too obvious about it. One of Janeway's best episodes, VOY could be really good when it dealt with ethics and the crew's desire to get home v the rules/laws/circumstances of where they found themselves.

AMKC

Star trek TNG Season 1s Datalore was good and I always enjoy it.

Also Angel One,

The Battle and

11001001

There is so many episodes and some from all 5 shows that I like but that's just a few.

Will post more as I think of them.

flazio

Far Beyond The Stars.

Usually when a cast member directs an episode, they tend to have their character cameo rather than play an active role. Certainly not the case here. Avery Brooks gave us a masterpiece. It's sad to think a lot of the racial issues raised in this episode are still there today.

AMKC

The Next Phase,

it is brilliant too.

It's gas watching them listen to Picard or Worf and Data.

Realm of Fear. Where Barcley is scared of beaming and finds what he thinks are Aliens in the transporter beam but they are not Aliens or the disease he thought it was either.

liamtech

DS9 - In the Pale Moonlight - Epic Garek episode - fantastic

TNG - Chain of Command - there are actually four lights btw

Honorable mention - i wont name the episode , il just say this:

'Shaka, when the walls fell'!!! Temba, his arms wide!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Voyager: Hope and fear - loved it - fantastic episode IMHO

Enterprise: In a mirror darkly - favourite scene was Archer talking down to the Fleet Admiral - 'i suggest you order your forces to stand down (smirks).. Starfleet cant afford to lose anymore ships!!! ;)

Discovery: If memory Serves - the Cage Sequel/Menagerie Prequel

AMKC

TNG season 6 episode13: Aquiel- I liked this episode. A bit of a murder mystery going on.

Vicxas

DS9: The one where they need to raid the abandoned Cardassian space station, so many of the Dominion episodes are fantastic

Voyager: Scorpion, probably the final episode of the series.

TNG: The measure of a man, Best of both worlds, Darmock, Chain of command to name a few.

somuj

I have so many favourite episodes of every series. Even enterprise.

Can't think of any Dicovery at all. Makes me sad

Rawr

Doing a bit of an early TNG watch now.

I actually like Conspiracy from Season 1. It's cheesier than a Cheddar Factory but there's something about the very dark beginnings of the story that I like, with Captain Rix calling out to "Watch your back, Picarrrd".

I remember this being one of the first times (in my early watching) of Trek actually going to Earth. I might not have seen TMP or STIV at that stage. It seemed like a rare oddity which I felt also gave Best of Both Worlds that extra edge. Trek just didn't go to Earth unless something is very wrong. The ending was just silly as all hell, but I kind of liked this ridiculous phaser-fight in Starfleet Command without a single member of security turning up.

And of course: "We seek peaceful co-exisencccccce"

I always enjoy a re-watch.

AllForIt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118326319#Comment_118326319

Watched on your recommendation the other night DS9 - In the Pale Moonlight. How long since I originally watched it I don't know but just feels like yesterday. Brilliant episode. Garek is just awesome, as usual.

Watched as well TNG - Chain of Command. Never saw that one originally but yep, good episode. Kinda reminded me of that famous movie with Henry Fonda, what's it called? 12 Angry Men, after looking it up.

Personally I'd give a +1 to VOY Counterpoint, as already mentioned. I love the music in that episode. And I liked all the double episodes, Year of Hell, Scorpion etc.

As for DS9, I liked The Way of the Warrior (among many). I though DS9 really went onto another level after that episode.

Rawr

One DS9 episode that I always enjoy a rewatch of is Rocks and Shoals.

This was a proper "War" story in comes at the end of a pretty decent Dominion War episode arc. The absolute treachery of the Vorta Keevan contrasted to the absolute sense of duty of Jem'Hadar Remata'Klan, while they fight for control of a useless desert planet.

We also have my favorite B-Plot of the series where we experience Kira's daily dredge working under Dominion management and comes to the realization that she is very thing she hated during the Cardassian Occupation.

Just a great episode.

Evade

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118575341#Comment_118575341

The Garak and Nog scene about Nog never turning his back on Garak again is great too.

TheIrishGrover

Nothing surprising really:

DS9:

• Pale Moonlight
• Duet
• The Visitor
• Far Beyond The Stars

TNG:

• The Inner Light
• Lower Decks
• Chain of Command
• Tapestry

Enterprise:

• The Andorian Incident
• Dear Doctor

Voyager:

Distant Origins

• Meld
• Blink Of An Eye

TOS:

• Balance Of Terror
• Trouble With Tribbles
• City At The Edge Of Forever

Discovery:

• The Vulcan Hello
• Through The Valley Of Shadows

Picard:

• Broken Pieces
• Maps And Legends
• The Impossible Box

eadrom

My mind always goes back to:

Yesterday's Enterprise (TNG) - I love the performances in this one. Denise Crosby is so much better than she ever was in season one and with Shooter McGavin, the two play great oposite each other. And Patrick Stewart is incredible as his darker-timeline self, effortless as though he'd been playing it that way for years. Set direction is fantastic with the subtle changes affecting the tone so much. Not to mention a great story and our first and so far last look at the Enterprise C. This could have been a movie.

Empok Nor (DS9) - not as emphatically as the above but this one has always stuck with me too. Similarly, the set direction and darker tones to otherwise familiar settings worked really well. It felt a bit like 'Star Trek does genre' where it's just a one-off creepy little horror episode this week, with Garek and Nog front and centre. I've always liked the idea of using the Star Trek 'world' to tell different styles of stories. Really good.

Otherwise, City on the Edge of Forever, All Good Things, The Emissary (DS9), The Way of the Warrior, and Redemption 1+2, are all firm favourites. And of course Best of Both Worlds and The Inner Light. And Darmok and Unification and Space Seed and Measure of a Man.

I enjoyed Voyager as a series too but I'm not sure it really had single episodes that I enjoyed as much as the above, unfortunately.

TheIrishGrover

Yesterday's Enterprise.... Good call!!!

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058220931/some-of-your-favourite-episodes

I love Parallels. With the exception of the stupid camp later mirror universe episodes I have always loved the alternative timeline episodes. This one is great for many reasons but especially the crazy Riker from the apocalyptic timeline.

On that note my favourite episode is Yesterday's Enterprise followed by BoBW and my favourite Voyager episode is the one with the false history and second is the timeship one which should have been what VOY was really like. Favorite ENT is the mirror universe (not that I think much about ENT at all). You also have great DS9 episodes of which deal with the history of the station/occupation or the amazing alternate timeline episode about old man Jake.

Kiith

Leaving out the obvious ones (measure of a man, darmok, pale moonlight etc...), there are some of my favorites from TNG. Will do the others later :P

Next Generation

• A Matter of Honour, where Riker takes over as XO on the Klingon ship.
• Q Who, where the Borg were introduced and really give them something to fear. Anything with Q is great, but this was very good.
• Peak Performance, Riker vs Picard. Always good fun.
• The Defector, always love a bit of Romulan duplicity, and this was their best. Plus, Picard vs Tomalak at the end.
• The Wounded, rogue captain attacks the Cardassians, and O'Brien gets some proper screentime. Plus, his talk with the cardassian about Setlek 3 is fantastic - "It's not you i hate Cardassian...i hate what i became, because of you."
• The Drumhead, political thriller trying to find an enemy that doesn't exist, and an admiral who picks a fight with Picard.
• Chain of Command double espisode is fantastic as well. TNG did Cardassian episodes very well.
• Tapestry, Picard's alternative life as shown by Q.
• The Chase, if only for Picard and the Romulan Captains chat at the end of the episode.

breezy1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118730196#Comment_118730196

Ah ya The Wounded good shout. Love anything with Cardassians in it. The "four lights" episode is amazing too.

Rawr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118577520#Comment_118577520

Just to add to Yesterday's Enterprise. I simply love the understated and implied hatred between Picard and Riker in that reality. The script and acting show there gave a very clear impression of two guys who simply can't work together anymore, probably due to Picard's draconian War-Captain style of command that had probably dominated his entire Starfleet career.

They don't spell it out, but I love the fact that Yesterday's Enterprise appears to have landed us in the middle of some kind of argument between them and that their performances were just excellent. Proper quality Trek.

Evade

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118731154#Comment_118731154

There's another possible reading on their relationship, Picard knows the war can't be won but Riker doesn't. With that in mind Picard might be leaning more towards keeping his crew relatively safe rather than going at every battle with everything they've got.

Evade

So I threw on Yesterday's Entrerprise because why not and there's a call to report to cetacean ops that I hadn't noticed before.