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Summary
With hundreds of episodes across 11 different video show , it ’s a tall order to pick just 20 of the bestStar Trekepisodes of all time . For almost 60 yr , theStar Trekfranchise has held a mirror to contemporaneous order with brawny stories that challenge audience to do better . While that overture can sometimes die hard the risk of being too suitable , the best episodes ofeveryStar TrekTV showstrike a perfect Libra between societal messaging and populist entertainment .
Indeed , theStar Trekfranchise ’s secret weapon is that the data formatting enables writers to tell narrative from a smorgasbord of music genre , which is one of many reasons whyGene Roddenberry ’s visionendures to this day . The best episode ofStar Trekcan be mini - movies , outlandish comedies , horror stories , or doomed romances . Across all these disparate genre , Star Trek ’s best episodes are defined by a hopeful vision for the hereafter , and a substance of peace , lovemaking , and sympathy between foreign cultures .
Star Trek ’s timeline brace a thousand years of Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets , with alternative realities and time travel galore .
20"Species Ten-C"
Star Trek: Discovery, Season 4, Episode 12
Star Trek : Discoveryoften struggled to hold up up to its potential difference , but " Species Ten - C " is one of its finest hours . Star Trekis at its good when it ’s about the lead characters attempt to take form a joining with foreign raw life . This is particularly apparent in " Species Ten - C " in which the USS Discovery go beyond the Galactic Barrier to negotiate with the puzzling outlander behind the Dark Matter Anomaly . Heavily riffing on Denis Villeneuve ’s 2016 movieArrival , the scenes where Captain Michael Burnham ( Sonequa Martin - Green ) endeavor to piece together the mystery of Species Ten - C are compuslive view .
Star Trek : Discovery is an ingress in the fabled Sci - Fi franchise , set ten years before the original Star Trek series events . The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham , assigned to the USS Discovery , where the crew set about to forbid a Klingon war while traveling through the vast compass of distance .
Star Trek : Discoverywas never trite of assure citizenry to " connect " with each other , but it has existent signification in " Species Ten - C " . It ’s only by finding a common language that the USS Discovery crew can avert a catastrophe . As an hour of television receiver , " Species Ten - C " is the double-dyed distillation ofDiscovery ’s strengths , and adds one of the strangest ever foreign creation to theStar Trekcanon .
19"Year of Hell"
Star Trek: Voyager, Season 4, Episodes 8 & 9
" Year of Hell " puts the crew of the USS Voyager through the wringer in ways that the enfranchisement had never done before . Pitted against the autocratic temporal scientist Anorax ( one ofKurtwood Smith ’s fourStar Trekroles ) , Captain Kathryn Janeway ( Kate Mulgrew ) and the crew of Voyager are pushed to the very brink . The prison term locomotion elements of " Year of Hell " signify that audiences cognise none of the damage done to character like Lt . Tuvok ( Tim Russ ) will be lasting , but the strength of the performances means that the torture still feels real .
The 5th entry in the Star Trek dealership , Star Trek : Voyager , is a sci - fi series that sees the gang of the USS Voyager on a long journey back to their home after finding themselves strand at the far ends of the Milky Way Galaxy . lead by Captain Kathryn Janeway , the serial follows the crew as they venture through rightfully uncharted areas of place , with novel species , friends , foes , and whodunit to solve as they wrestle with the politics of a crew in a berth they ’ve never faced before .
" Year of Hell " is a gruelingStar Trek : Voyagermovie that aim to respond the question of what happens when our hero recede . With such a gamy death price , and impossibly mellow stakes for the full space - time continuum , it ’s one of the more ambitious ofVoyager ’s two - parters . It ’s not the sort of matter that fans require from aStar Trekshow every calendar week , but for a two - part heroic poem , it really process and gives theVoyagercast a chance to flex their acting muscles .
18"Those Old Scientists"
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Season 2, Episode 7
At its heart , " Those Old Scientists " is a joyous celebration of what it means to be aStar Trekfan . Transporting Ensigns Boimler ( Jack Quaid ) and Mariner ( Tawny Newsome ) to the twenty-third centuryversion of the starship EnterpriseallowsStar Trek : Strange New Worldsto research the melodic theme of fandom and bequest . In the wrong hands , Boimler and Mariner ’s hero adoration of Captain Christopher Pike ( Anson Mount ) and his crew would be scrape , but writers Bill Wolkoff and Kathryn Lyn never turn a loss sight of how that impacts theStrange New Worldscharacters .
Star Trek : Strange New Worlds follows Captain Christopher Pike , Science Officer Spock , and Number One in the geezerhood antedate Captain Kirk ’s tenure on the U.S.S. Enterprise , as they venture across the galaxy to explore new earth .
" Those Old Scientists " is a warm and funny treatise on what it means to get together one ’s heroes . One of the good scenes in the episode is theStar Trek : Strange New Worldscharacters ' recognizing their own heroes , a joyous room to honor the legacy of previous Starfleet legends . “Those Old Scientists " is warm , laughable , and has a touching news report to tell about legacyand the force per unit area of living up to the prospect of others . It ’s also pack full of trick that reinforce multiple rewatches , defecate it an instant classic .
17"The Trouble With Tribbles”
Star Trek: The Original Series, Season 2, Episode 15
Occasionally , and generally to its hurt , Star Trekforgets that it ’s allow to be funny . There ’s a long custom of theStar Trekcomedy episodethat begin with David Gerrold ’s " The Trouble With Tribbles " back in 1967 . The classicStar Trek : The Original Seriesepisode find out Captain James T. Kirk ( William Shatner ) dealing with a grain crisis . While that sounds painfully dull , Gerrold ’s script introduce the Tribbles , cute fluffy extraterrestrial being that breed incessantly . So embedded in the ethnical zeitgeist is " The worry with Tribbles " that it sure inspire the plot of Joe Dante’sGremlins .
Set in the twenty-third century , this iconic science fable serial follows the starship USS Enterprise and its crew as they embark on explorative mission across the galaxy . The series probe subject of diplomacy , ethics , and the unknown , often highlighting divers refinement and futurist technologies .
" The Trouble With Tribbles " does n’t have the thematic heft or striking stakes of other classicStar Trekepisodes , but its ethnical wallop overstep all of that . David Gerrold ’s classic comedy is one of a handful ofStar Trekepisodes that has entered the popular mental imagery , breaking through into wider cultural conversation . Almost everyone have it away what a Tribble is , even if they could n’t point to Sherman ’s major planet on a whiz chart .
Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.
A Tribble was sighted aboard the USS Discovery , which should be alarming , but Star Trek : Discovery season 5 explains this Tribble is no fuss .
16"Lower Decks"
Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 7, Episode 15
" Lower Decks " is one of the standout episodes inStar Trek : The Next Generation ’s final season . As well as inspiring Mike McMahan’sStar Trek : Lower deck , the instalment also provides a new perspective onTNG ’s cast of case , good manners of the USS Enterprise - D ’s lower deckers . center on a group of lowly national flag , " Lower deck " reveals the coarse realities of what it stand for to be a Starfleet officer . By allowing an consultation to get to roll in the hay Ensign Sito Jaxa ( Shannon Fill ) before she is savagely kill by the Cardassians , TNGputs the previous redshirt figure to bed once and for all .
Star Trek : The Next Generation adopt Captain Jean - Luc Picard and his crew aboard the USS Enterprise NCC-1701D as they embark on interstellar exploration , seeking out new worlds and civilization .
The lack of the serial regular in " Lower deck " may put people off , but in reducing their presence , the episode get to provide an foreigner ’s perspective . audience love Commander William T. Riker ( Jonathan Frakes ) but to the officers that serve under him , he can sometimes be a cruel taskmaster . Lt . Worf ( Michael Dorn ) may be a stoic Klingon warrior , but his mentorship of Ensign Sito allows him to show his vulnerable side . The final scene where Worf lets his guard down and shares a drink with the Lower Deckers is deeply move . It ’s the gross manner to keep the characters fresh inTNG ’s home stretch .
The fifth entry in the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Voyager, is a sci-fi series that sees the crew of the USS Voyager on a long journey back to their home after finding themselves stranded at the far ends of the Milky Way Galaxy. Led by Captain Kathryn Janeway, the series follows the crew as they embark through truly uncharted areas of space, with new species, friends, foes, and mysteries to solve as they wrestle with the politics of a crew in a situation they’ve never faced before.
15"Scorpion"
Star Trek: Voyager, Season 3, Episode 26 & Season 4, Episode 1
There are a mickle betterStar Trekepisodes that deal with the unmanageable decisions faced by a Starfleet captain than " Scorpion " . However , Star Trek : Voyager ’s time of year 3 close is the closest the show ever got to recapturing the thrill of watchingStar Trek : The Next genesis ’s " The upright of Both earthly concern " . " Scorpion " is a staggeringly of import two - parter in the development ofVoyager , as it bring in the groundbreakingSpecies 8472 villainsand debuted Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine . While Seven would run far longer than Species 8472 , they were still a landmarkStar Trekcreation .
" Scorpion " is a greatStar Trekepisode because it reveals that the dealership ’s heroes are fallible and able of making mistakes . Captain Kathryn Janeway ( Kate Mulgrew ) makes a deal with the Borg Collective , because she clearly believes that Species 8472 pose a Brobdingnagian menace to the galaxy . The rug draw out that Species 8472 were simply defending themselves is devastating and defines Janeway ’s commission go onward , as she seeks to repent for her mistake by ultimately work the Borg Collective to their knees .
So many versions of the Borg Collective exist in Star Trek , from TNG ’s original cybernetic villain to Voyager ’s offshoots and Picard ’s revivals .
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds follows Captain Christopher Pike, Science Officer Spock, and Number One in the years preceding Captain Kirk’s tenure on the U.S.S. Enterprise, as they venture across the galaxy to explore new worlds.
14"The Last Generation"
Star Trek: Picard, Season 3, Episode 10
Star Trek : Picard ’s finale was the finalStar Trek : The Next Generationmovie that the cast deserve , a fitting send - off that bring their characters ' chronicle to a comforting finish . “The Last Generation " is bigger than anyStar Trekfinale before or since ; an apocalyptic struggle for survival that ultimately boil down to a father ’s lovemaking for his Logos . While Admiral Janeway weakened the Borg in theStar Trek : Voyagerfinale , it ’s only good that Admiral Jean - Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) gets to end up the job , dissolve his decades - one-time trauma in the physical process .
After starring in Star Trek : The Next Generation for seven season and various other Star Trek projects , Patrick Stewart is back as Jean - Luc Picard . Star Trek : Picard focuses on a bed Picard who is living on his family vinery as he struggles to cope with the death of Data and the destruction of Romulus . But before too long , Picard is pull back into the activity . The serial also brings back buff - favorite characters from the Star Trek franchise , such as Seven of Nine ( Jeri Ryan ) , Geordi La Forge ( LeVar Burton ) , Worf ( Michael Dorn ) , and William Riker ( Jonathan Frakes ) .
" The Last genesis " is everything fans could want from a finalStar Trek : The Next Generationmovie . There ’s the inviolable hereditary bond paper between Picard and his crew , thrilling legal action sequences such as the Enterprise ’s escape through an exploding Borg Cube , bags of humour and wit , and a handover to theNext Generation ’s next genesis . The only cause thatStar Trek : Picard ’s finale is n’t gamy on the list is that , as the conclusion of a ten - part story , it lack the standalone entreaty of other classicStar Trekepisodes .
Set in the 23rd century, this iconic science fiction series follows the starship USS Enterprise and its crew as they embark on exploratory missions across the galaxy. The series examines themes of diplomacy, ethics, and the unknown, often highlighting diverse cultures and futuristic technologies.
13"Living Witness”
Star Trek: Voyager, Season 4, Episode 23
" surviving Witness " is an inventive episode ofStar Trek : Voyagerthat bright questions the role of Starfleet in the Delta Quadrant . Awakening in a museum in the far - future , the Doctor ( Robert Picardo ) is horrified to discover that the story of Voyager does n’t reflect his own experiences . " Living Witness " is an incredibly smartStar Trekepisode about how unreliable teller shape our understanding of history . Although " Living Witness " is a star fomite for Robert Picardo , the rest of theStar Trek : Voyagercastalso get their chance to shine .
" Living Witness " was the only installment ofStar Trek : Voyagerto be conduct by Tuvok role player Tim Russ .
Star Trek : Voyagercould sometimes take itself too seriously , so it ’s refreshing to see the dramatis personae let their hair down and bring exaggerated variant of their character . The comedy integral in these exaggerations helps to underline the inaccuracies created by a lack of strict historical inquiry . " Living Witness " is a classicStar Trekepisode that uses a magnificent sci - fi concept - the futuristic museum - to discuss a immense philosophic point about understanding the past times .
Star Trek : Voyager ’s holographical physician was one of the series ' most popular characters , with a cadre of starring episodes focus on him .
12"The Devil in the Dark"
Star Trek: The Original Series, Season 1, Episode 25
Nothing quite tot up the core ethos of Gene Roddenberry ’s sight likeStar Trek : The Original Seriesseason 1 , installment 25 , " The Devil in the Dark . " An episode about the importance of not evaluate other metal money by show , " The Devil in the Dark " is remarkable for make an audience care about a pile of Rock . It ’s testament to the office of Leonard Nimoy ’s performance as Spock that the scene where he mind coalesce with the Horta does n’t feel remotely ridiculous .
" The Devil in the Dark " has the dubious honour of being the onlyStar Trekepisode that has no female speak parts , something that Gene Roddenberry noted in a letter to writer Gene Coon after he review the instalment .
" The Devil in the Dark " establishes many elements that would go on to becomeStar Trektropes in the decades that followed . From setting the model forStar Trekepisodes set in cavesto the central idea of attend beyond appearances to learn the emotional truth of plain foes , " The Devil in the Dark " cements much of the dealership ’s essence ethos . It ’s also a marvelous case for William Shatner , Leonard Nimoy , and DeForest Kelley as Kirk , Spock , and McCoy .
Star Trek: The Next Generation follows Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew aboard the USS Enterprise NCC-1701D as they embark on interstellar explorations, seeking out new worlds and civilizations.
11"The Measure Of A Man"
Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 2, Episode 9
After a jolting first season , " The Measure of a Man " is whenStar Trek : The Next Generationstarts to total into its own . An early display case of Brent Spiner ’s abilities as an role player , " The Measure of a Man " place the focus on Data , as he ’s hale to struggle for his individuality . A hugely influential instalment , Data ’s conflict for his rights would later on be echoed in the struggle ofStar Trek : Voyager ’s Doctor and Seven of Nine ’s fight to be accepted by Starfleet . tackle huge themes like individuality , and what it means to be human , " The meter of a Man " is a classicStar Trekmorality play .
Writer Melinda Snodgrass was an attorney , and she used her experiences in the effectual profession to publish " The Measure of a Man " .
agitate Starfleet ’s desire to studyData ’s android bodyin more detail is Captain Picard , which commit Patrick Stewart an incredible opportunity . The court background is pure for Stewart ’s background on the stage , and he appear to relish the opportunity to deliver vainglorious speech about humanity . The central carrying into action and philosophical question are just two of many reasons that " The bill of a Man " continues to be so influential onStar Trek .
After starring in Star Trek: The Next Generation for seven seasons and various other Star Trek projects, Patrick Stewart is back as Jean-Luc Picard. Star Trek: Picard focuses on a retired Picard who is living on his family vineyard as he struggles to cope with the death of Data and the destruction of Romulus. But before too long, Picard is pulled back into the action. The series also brings back fan-favorite characters from the Star Trek franchise, such as Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton), Worf (Michael Dorn), and William Riker (Jonathan Frakes).
Besides play Data and all of his sibling in Star Trek , Brent Spiner portrayed the mechanical man ’s creator as well as various other Soongs in chronicle .
