The Quinessential Trek Episode

[LtFielding]

I like "The Cage"

[Nate the Great]

The Cage is sort of like Proto-Trek. In fact, in many ways it's sort of a series by itself, albeit one episode long.

[NAHTMMM]

First one that came to mind after reading the initial post was "Devil in the Dark". Then "The Corbomite Maneuver". Both are about having a run-in with an unknown race, and after initial hostilities, the Starfleeters find a way to bring about a peaceful result. And that's a theme that continues not only through TNG but, arguably, on into DS9 and VOY, as little as I know about those series (so no surprise that episodes from the original series occurred to me).

[Nate the Great]

Hmmm, Let That Be Your Last Battlefield seems to have the lead. Interesting choice. Okay, I hereby declare these two to be the finalists. Time for the finals. Everyone can vote again. Just reproduce the list and add a line to your choice.

A. The Corbomite Maneuver
B. Let That Be Your Last Battlefield

I'll vote first:

A. I
B.

[PointyHairedJedi]

I vote for... neither. They're both good episodes, but I couldn't ever name either as being a favourite in any way.

[Nate the Great]

Where do you see the word "favorite" in the poll title? "Best" isn't up there either, it's "Quintessential," as in "this is the one to show someone what Trek is like if they've never ever seen an episode before." If we're talking favorite, I'm sure the squabbling amongst fans of The Trouble With Tribbles, The Inner Light, Trials and Tribbleations, Bride of Chaotica, and so forth would last for MONTHS. If we're talking best (as in the story is tightly written, the humor fresh, the effects consistent, etc.), I'm sure we'd have another list entirely.

[LtFielding]

A.i
B.i

[PointyHairedJedi]

Originally Posted by Nate the Great

Where do you see the word "favorite" in the poll title? "Best" isn't up there either, it's "Quintessential," as in "this is the one to show someone what Trek is like if they've never ever seen an episode before."

Dammit. I keep telling myself not to give you any ammunition, but nonetheless I do slip up from time to time. :P

You may take what I said to mean that I don't consider either of those to be the Trekiest episode of Trek ever Trekked.

[Nate the Great]

Oooh, I actually WON one? I'm getting faint.

I'm not even sure that Quintessential and Trekkiest are synonyms.

[LtFielding]

Originally Posted by Nate the Great

Oooh, I actually WON one? I'm getting faint.

I'm not even sure that Quintessential and Trekkiest are synonyms.

They would not be, because Quintessential is less exact.

[Chancellor Valium]

Yes. The quintessential Trek episode is...

The Edge of Destruction.

[Nate the Great]

Is that the subtitle of Vulcan Love Slave III or something?

[PointyHairedJedi]

Originally Posted by Nate the Great

I'm not even sure that Quintessential and Trekkiest are synonyms.

Possibly so, but I don't care that much.

[Chancellor Valium]

Originally Posted by Nate the Great

Is that the subtitle of Vulcan Love Slave III or something?

No.
And unless VLS3 contains random scissor attacks, you couldn't be more wrong.

[Nate the Great]

Don't we at least get a tiebreaker vote?

[whoiam]

A II
B I

I'd try and avoid showing off an 'omnipotent alien of the week' episode as my quintissential Trek ep. I know they showed up a few times in TOS, but they're not the best of introductions to any of the spin-off series.

[Nate the Great]

Yeah, but are Charonians (?) omnipotent? They have a few flashy tricks, but I wouldn't put them on the level of an Organian or Trelane.

[whoiam]

No, nor would I, for that matter.

Still, they are at a level some way above that of the enterprise crew, or any of the technology that they're able to bring to bear inside the ship (except for the first self-destruct countdown, of course). So from the POV of the viewer (especially one who hasn't seen the organians, say, before) they may not be omnipotent, but they're as close as makes no odds in terms of the story.