Star Trek: The Top 25 Episodes
Scanning for life forms -- and the greatest stories in Starfleet history.
What Is the Best Star Trek Movie?
Of course, any such list is going to be highly controversial among fans… and admittedly arbitrary to a certain degree. How many Original Series episodes do you include? Doesany Enterprise segment deserve to be ranked higher than a Next Generation tale? Does 7 of 9 get an honorable mention slot all to herself?!So with all that said, here are our picks for the top 25 Star Trek episodes ever. Beam into the comments once you're done reading and we will scan for life forms together -- and discuss!
Star Trek has a long history of seeing popular actors enter the director's chair. With this Voyager episode, LeVar Burton took a turn (though it was not his first time in the center seat). He also guest starred in the episode, reprising his role as engineering whiz Geordi La Forge, who was now promoted to captain. “Timeless” jumped forward 15 years, presenting Chakotay and Harry Kim as the sole survivors of a botched attempt to bring Voyager home. Theirs was a compelling struggle to defy the rest of the Federation, travel back through time and undo the accident, even though success meant destroying their comfortable new lives on Earth. Despite these tragic overtones, the episode solidified the notion that the end of the journey was finally in sight for our heroes.A trip to Omicron Ceti III reveals plant spores that protect its inhabitants from the planet's deadly Berthold rays -- but also turn you into a bit of a pod person. Eventually the entire crew of the Enterprise is converted with Kirk the last man standing, which leads to a fistfight between the captain and a lovey-dovey Spock -- who's recently hooked up with his woulda-coulda-shoulda girlfriend from back in the day, Leila (Jill Ireland).
The episode features one of Spock's best moments ever. After he's freed of the spores, a heartbroken Leila tells him that she doesn't even know if he has another name. The regretful Vulcan -- now back in control of his emotions -- responds, "You couldn't pronounce it." And a thousand Trekkies wept.Season 5 of Deep Space Nine ended with Captain Sisko and his crew forced to abandon the station to the nigh-unstoppable forces of the Dominion. And Season 6 kicked off a multi-part story arc that culminated with Sisko leading a Federation assault to retake DS9. The resulting battle was about as epic as any we've seen in a Trek episode, with special effects that were surprisingly robust for a late '90s sci-fi TV show. “Sacrifice of Angels” offered a dramatic showdown that set the tone for the remainder of the much-beloved Dominion War storyline in Seasons 6 and 7.Who doesn't love the Mirror Universe? Even the cast of Enterprise got in on the action, relishing the chance to play cartoonishly evil versions of themselves in this two-parter. “In a Mirror, Darkly” made a number of fun adjustments to the usual Enterprise formula, not the least of which being the overhauled title sequence. Continuity buffs also got a kick out of the fact that this episode fit in between the events of two Original Series episodes (“The Tholian Web” and “Mirror, Mirror”). Perhaps the writers were guilty of exploiting the fan service angle, but with results this fun, who really cares?Most of the Star Trek TV series started out with a few rough edges that were eventually smoothed out over time. Enterprise bucked the trend by starting off strongly and then nose-diving from there. Unfortunate, but at least the result was this memorable two-part pilot episode. Broken Bow started off in the early 22nd century, introducing us to a young Jonathan Archer and showcasing the evolution from the 21st century Earth of Star Trek: First Contact to the one Trek fans have grown familiar with. From there, the episode brought together the full crew of the very first USS Enterprise. These two episodes showed off the scope and potential of the new series and the stylistic elements that promised to set it apart. Sadly, it took the creators far too long to begin living up to that potential again.In many ways, it wasn't the Federation crew who were the most compelling characters on Deep Space Nine, but the eclectic long-term residents like Quark the Ferengi barman and Odo the shape-shifting security chief. And “Necessary Evil” was a great showcase for these players. Here, the attempted murder of Quark leads Odo to reopen an unsolved murder case dating back to the days when the Cardassians still ruled the station. The flashback format was novel, as was the quasi-film noir style the episode took, and the episode did a great job of shedding new light on the station's history and the complexity of these characters' back stories.Captain Picard was always all about diplomacy, but how can you talk it out with another species when you can't even understand what they're saying? This is the dilemma confronted by Picard in this fifth-season episode, as he finds himself stranded on a planet with Dathon, an alien captain played by Paul Winfield (of Star Trek II fame) whose words can be understood, but not their meaning. You see, his race -- as Picard will eventually figure out -- speak inmetaphor.
It leads to one of Picard's finest hours, as he forges a strong alliance with his inscrutable companion in the face of a savage threat. It also gives the captain an excuse to tell the story of Gilgamesh while sitting next to a campfire. But only after Dathon relays the tale of Darmok and Jalad -- at Tanagra.And you thought being a Red Shirt was dangerous? Tell that to Picard, who after a near-death encounter is shown by Q the life hecould've lead -- one where he played it safe and wound up in a Blue Shirt. A junior lieutenant on the road to nowhere fast, Picard realizes that the events of one's past, however tragic or painful -- a knife through the heart, for example -- are also part of what make us what we are today. No risk, no reward, as it were. Penned by the inestimable Trek scribe Ron Moore, "Tapestry" is an episode that really hits home… possibly a little too close to home for some. But hey, you don't need Q to change the path you're on…The second Trek pilot (and the first Kirk episode), isn't just smart sci-fi but also action-packed and emotionally affecting. When Kirk's old pal and current Enterprise helmsman Gary Mitchell winds up endowed with powerful psychic abilities, it falls to the captain to make the tough call: Leave his friend to die on a desolate world or risk the safety of his ship and crew. In many ways this is proto-Star Trek -- the sets, costumes and characters were all still in a state of flux -- but already the classic dynamic between Kirk and Spock is present, as the Vulcan's cold logic serves to balance the Earthman's passion and cowboy diplomacy. And vice versa.The struggles of the Voyager crew always had a greater sense of immediacy and danger to them given that they were one lone ship marooned in a hostile quadrant of space. Never was that danger more palpable than in this two-part storyline. What seemed like a simple conflict between two alien cultures quickly turned into a months-long ordeal as Janeway struggled to keep an increasingly damaged and depopulated Voyager from being destroyed by their time-manipulating enemies. Naturally, the day was saved and the true timeline restored in the end. But Voyager was rarely more interesting than when we saw the crew at their lowest and most desperate.Like “Year of Hell” for Voyager, “The Visitor” was a chance for the Deep Space Nine creators to explore an alternate timeline and its effects on the main characters. Here, an elderly Jake Sisko recounts the events that led to his father's apparent death on Deep Space Nine and his own decision to return to Earth, pursue his writing career, and start a family. It was a heartfelt look at what might have been for Jake and various other members of the DS9 crew, but also a cautionary tale about the danger of obsessing over one goal too much.This is where Star Trek II started. Kirk awakens a group of frozen, genetically-enhanced supermen led by none other than Khan Noonien Singh (the late, great Ricardo Montalban). Ambitious, smart, powerful and cunning, Khan is in many ways a counterpoint to Kirk, which is no doubt why he makes for such a great foil for the captain. The wordplay between the two, and Spock, at a dinner scene here is just amazing. If you only know Khan from the movies, you might be surprised how… peaceably this episode resolves itself. After some fisticuffs between the two Ks, of course.This two-part episode starts with Captain Picard resigning his command to go on a secret mission on the Cardassian border. He's replaced by Captain Edward Jellico (Ronny Cox), who has to be one of the biggest dickwads in the history of Starfleet -- and that's saying something. He reshapes the Enterprise's casual ways into a stricter military style, which is not enjoyable at all for the crew (especially a put-upon Riker).
But as fun as that all is, the truly memorable aspect of Chain of Command" comes when Picard is taken prisoner and tortured by the Cardassian Gul Madred (Trek vet David Warner). The result is a duel between two masters, and one that Picard can't win. To quote Madred, "How many lights are there?"As the fourth episode aired, "The Naked Time" served as a primer for audiences to what made the still-new characters onboard the Enterprise tick. That dramatic throughline, some great acting, and a dynamic and tense plot all made for a memorable episode that still packs a wallop.
When the crew becomes contaminated with the Psi 2000 virus, their inner-selves begin to reveal themselves through acts of uninhibited emotion: Spock's half-breed identity crisis, Sulu's secret swashbuckler, Kirk's love of his ship over all else, and so on. Meanwhile, the Enterprise becomes locked in a death-spiral heading for a planet's surface. Can the drunken crew of the Enterprise save themselves in time? Of course they can…and they invent time travel while doing it!As The Next Generation began to pick up steam (or should that be warp energy?) in its third season, something interesting was happening. The standalone storylines -- the norm at that time for most American television -- were beginning to hint at a bigger picture as scripts left plot threads open for further exploration down the road. We take this for granted in modern dramatic TV, but at the time it was pretty remarkable, especially for Star Trek.
"Family" was a key episode in this regard, as its main plot dealt entirely with the aftermath of the "Best of Both Worlds" two-parter that had turned Captain Picard into a Borg. Set mostly on Earth at the Picard family vineyard, the captain must confront the truth and the tragedy of what he was party to in "BOBW." As he learns, only his family can help him through it...Star Trek has so often found success by offering futuristic parables for real world conflicts. One of the more successful examples was this early DS9 episode that saw Kira Nerys investigate a Cardassian medical patient who may or may not have been a guard at an infamous Bajoran mining camp in the days of the Occupation. The parallels to Israel, Nuremberg, and the Nazi war crime trials were obvious. This was an early example of how well DS9 could explore morality and the horrors of war, establishing it as a darker and less clean-cut alternative to The Next Generation.Yes, Star Trek can do comedy, as it proved mightily with this tale of cute, purring fur monsters from beyond. (O.K., O.K., Tribbles are harmless -- but nonetheless monstrous in their own way.) Kirk finds himself driven to distraction onboard Deep Space Station K-7 when he must navigate amid a group of angry Klingons, a special shipment of grain called quadrotriticale, and a host of those damned, self-replicating Tribbles. Amid double-takes and backstabbings, bar fights and inadvertent (and intentional insults), Kirk of course saves the day… and inspired a Deep Space Nine spin-off episode that would be shot 29 years later and set during the course of this classic story.The first couple of seasons of The Next Generation had more lows than highs, that much is certain. But a bright shining light in that sea of mediocrity came with Season 2's "The Measure of a Man." When another of those Starfleet jerks shows up to claim Data as the property of the Federation -- so that he can deactivate and study the android -- Picard must defend his officer, and friend, in court. But unfortunately, due to a wrinkle in the law Riker is forced to prosecute the case against Data.
Melinda M. Snodgrass, in her first writing credit for Trek, crafts a tale that goes nowhere and features nary an explosion or phaser battle, but is nonetheless one of the most thrilling of all TNG episodes. Is Data sentient? And what right does Starfleet have to say he isn't? At what point does he become a slave? The ethical questions raised here are numerous, strongly supported by the standout acting from all involved, particularly Patrick Stewart who delivers an impassioned closing argument that is one of Picard's finest moments.The series finale of The Next Generation is just about perfect. Even the episode writers Ron Moore and Brannon Braga have admitted that though they wrote this at the same time as the film Star Trek Generations -- and spent far less time on this one -- the episode turned out much better.
When Captain Picard becomes displaced in time, he finds himself occupying three different eras -- the present, the past (a clever call-back to the series' premiere episode), and the future, where he's a cranky old man in retirement. In each time period, he must work to solve a riddle, one set up by that eternal trickster Q… and one that could have dire consequences for all of mankind. "All Good Things…" is exciting, funny, touching, and ultimately a great send-off for the crew of the Enterprise-D. (And yeah, it is better than Generations too.)Ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight? After the events of this episode, Captain Sisko could safely say he did. No other DS9 episode has so effectively explored the cost of war and the moral sacrifices that victory requires. Distraught over the many losses the Federation has endured in the Dominion War, Sisko turns to the shadowy Cardassian spy-turned-tailor Garak to help convince the Romulan Empire that they're next on the Dominion's agenda. When they can't dig up actual evidence, they decide to forge it. And when that fails, Sisko is forced to ask himself just how much he's willing to sacrifice for the greater good. The result was a haunting look at a man who paved his road to hell with good intentions.It's "Run Silent, Run Deep" on Trek when Kirk and a Romulan Commander engage in submarine-like stealth warfare (a low-fi precursor to Wrath of Khan's classic starship showdown). But it's the parallels between our captain and his nemesis that really makes this show, as we see that the enemy isn't always necessarily a bad guy. Played by Mark Lenard, who would go on to greater Trek fame as Spock's dad Sarek, the unnamed Romulan Commander ultimately sacrifices himself for his Empire -- seemingly despite his personal feelings about his government -- but not before telling Kirk that the two of them could've been friends… in a different reality.When theprevious Starship Enterprise to bear that name travels through time and arrives in the present, history is altered and Picard's crew are flung into a dark alternate timeline where they've been at war with the Klingons for years. And, as Picard puts it, the war is going badly for the Federation -- much worse than is generally known…
The upside to this is that Tasha Yar is alive and well again, giving Denise Crosby the chance to make more of an impression in one episode than she did in the whole first season. "Yesterday's Enterprise" thrives on the once again doomed Tasha's plight (and fledgling romance with the adrift in time Christopher McDonald) as well as the slightly off kilter crew of the Enterprise-D, and the sweet space battle that the episode climaxes with. Here we saw The Next Generation starting to accomplish the things that we'd been waiting two and a half years for it to do.A real "crossover" of an episode (inside Trekkie joke there), "Mirror, Mirror" is the type of Trek segment that even non-fans kinda-sorta recognize. Mainly because of Spock's goatee, but hey -- how can anyone forget that? It's another alternate reality story, which has surely become well-trodden ground these days but back when was pretty groundbreaking on TV. Not only is it great fun seeing the evil versions of our crew, but also some of their not-so-evil parallels, like Goatee Spock, who is as logical as ever. "Mirror, Mirror" would go on to spawn a bunch of stories set in this world on Deep Space Nine, Enterprise, and in comics and books -- tales that have remained among the most popular Trek stories ever.The Next Generation episode to end Next Generation episodes, the two-part "Best of Both Worlds" was so effective when it aired because part one -- the third-season cliffhanger -- really made it seem as if Picard might go over to the Borg permanently, with Patrick Stewart leaving the show. Yes, it was a simpler time, those pre-Internet days…
While the episode is best known for the Locutus transformation, it's really a Riker story as the Enterprise First Officer grapples with the question of why he keeps passing up the chance to command his own ship, an issue that is only aggravated by the arrival of the young upstart Lieutenant Commander Shelby who is more than ready to take on Riker's job.
Showrunner Michael Piller had arrived on TNG just in time in Season 3 to save the show from itself, and this episode signifies how important his contribution was to not just the show but the franchise as well. From here Next Gen became a force to be reckoned with; no longer was it the ugly step-sibling of The Original Series. Anchored by tense storytelling, great characterization, a truly scary foe, and a whiz-bang style, the sky was the limit for Picard's crew after this…Captain Kirk, the eternal ladies' man, is also doomed to always be alone. It's a recurrent theme from early in the show's run and all the way through to his last appearance on the big screen. But this notion of self-sacrifice in the face of the greater good was never more poignant or beautifully told than in this episode. Written (in part) by Harlan Ellison, Kirk, Spock and McCoy wind up in Depression-era New York, where they meet the lovely and kind-hearted missionary worker Edith Keeler (Joan Collins). Kirk, of course, falls in love with her, but time travel being what it is, he learns that their very presence in the past as led to their entire future being wiped from existence. And the only way to resolve this situation is to let Edith die in a preordained accident. Woah.
The tragic aspects of this story are deep, as are the performances across the board -- particularly in the episode's final moments. William Shatner's tortured decision, DeForest Kelley's shock at his friend's actions on the road, and Leonard Nimoy's knowing acceptance at what must be done. Kirk's state of mind before beaming up at the end of the segment is moving, haunting, and unforgettable. Let's get the hell out of here indeed.Hailing frequencies open! Talk to us on Twitter at@ScottIGN and@jschedeen. And if you made it this far, you might as well listen to Senior Editor Scott Collura'sStar Trek podcast Transporter Room 3!
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