Sunday Top 10: Star Trek

Since I've been REALLY over-the-top with Doctor Who recently [one of the side effects of jumping on a bandwagon late in the game. I have to catch up on 4 seasons all at once, then follow the 5th season real time, which only lasts 3 months, all boiling down to me having to wait for the second half of the season finale just like everyone else after I'd basically had a marathon of 4 seasons jammed into two months.] I figured I'd give my readers [hah. I think I have about... 2. Sporadically.] a break.

A break from Doctor Who, but not science fiction. haha. I'm still geeking out, so I have to stay within my geek-frame of mind.
Anyway. I've been falling down on the job with my Sunday Top 10's, so I figured I'd do one this week.

My Top Ten Favorite Star Trek Episodes! [TOS & TNG smashed together.]
And yes, these ARE in order of favoritism this time! [Ascending order. So, my favorite of the favorites is number 1!]


10. The Pegasus. Next Generation. Season 7. Riker gets to kick butt! There is sufficient ethical dilemma and risk of bodily harm to even it out and keep me happy. Though at this point I was banging my head on my desk, asking WHY IN THE NAME OF Q HAVE RIKER AND TROI NOT GOTTEN BACK TOGETHER?! I loved Worf, but Worf and Troi together? No. Nuh-uh. Not gonna cut it for me. Sorry, but the romantic in me must come out and slap Riker and Troi both upside the head for their stupidity. Or maybe just slap the writers. Anyway, this episode has always just stuck with me since I first saw it. Definitely a great start to my top ten list!

9. Court Martial. Original Series, season 1. Kirk is court martial-ed, accused of violating procedure and being responsible for a crew member's death. His ex- whatever she was is lawyer for the other side, and she's good. Really good. No space travel or adventures in this one, but its still great. Loyalties are questioned, trust is shattered, and the conclusion comes with an awww-moment. Nine out of ten stars!

8. The Inner Light. Next Generation. Season 5. Picard lapses into a coma, and lives out a whole lifetime on another planet. He has cute little Picardlets [aka, kids. Doesn't work as well with Picard as it does Gibbs. Sorry.] running around who eventually grow up to be smart, smart adults. He has an adorable, quite understanding wife. He tries to save the planet, only realizing that he was brought there after the planet had died so that the people wouldn't be forgotten. Sir Patrick Stewart gets to show us his crazy acting skills and we get to see Picard have the family he's always secretly longed for, deep deep [deep, deep, deep] down.

7. Plato's Stepchildren. Original Series, season 3. Spock laughed. Spock cried. Spock DANCED. There was an ethical dilemma [though really, most of the Trek dilemmas are ethical] because the gods of some faraway planet made everyone else their personal playthings. The Enterprise crew were humiliated, there was a checkered floor, and the whole planet was designed around classical Greece. If those things can't make a great ep, I don't know what can. Plus, Bones was the head honcho in this one instead of Kirk. He had to make all the ethical-dilemma-y decisions. Poor McCoy. He's a doctor, d*****, not a miracle worker!

6. The Measure of a Man. Next Generation. Season 2. Data is reassigned, and told he will be disassembled. Basically, he sues for his right to have rights as a sentient life form. Riker is forced to put together a case against Data. Picard's old flame is the JAG officer and is the one deciding Data's fate. Oddly reminiscent of Court Martial, only this one has ethical dilemmas exploding everywhere like the sky on 4th of July. We discover how much our mental pathways have become accustomed to Data's neural input, or something like that. Tugs at your heartstrings.

5. Shore Leave. Original Series, season 1. For some reason, this episode just stuck with me. There's people "dying" right and left. People's fantasies come to life on a planet that was literally designed to be a playground. The costumes are giggle-inducing, as well as Kirk's ex-girlfriend. I like it because they can't immediately find the bad guy, and don't even know if there is one. This one is full of mind games! Plus, the effects are so bad you just have to laugh and love it. Okay, you might not. But I do.

4. The Trouble with Tribbles. Original Series, season 2. Probably one of the most-recognized Original Series episodes ever. Briefly thought of changing my username to tinalovestribbles, but I didn't. Anyway, the reason this ep gets the fourth spot is because of the cute little fuzzballs that breed asexually and take over the Enterprise. And the way they got rid of them was the most physically snarky solution they could have come up with. I loved it!

3. Elementary, Dear Data. Next Generation. Season 2. Because I adore Data. Add in some Sherlock Holmes, and I'm loving it! Data is so smart, he has to program the holodeck to endanger the rest of the crew to give him a game challenging enough to not be boring. What ISN'T to love about this episode? Also, Data dressed as Holmes is amazing.

2. Chain of Command, parts I, II. Next Generation. Season 6. Picard is replaced. The crew is close to mutiny. Picard is captured and tortured, physically and psychologically. THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS. For me, no other episode could fill this number two spot. Just excellent. Sir Patrick Stewart really gets to show off his acting chops! And Picard picks himself up and comes out on top. If I could have a third grandpa, I would want it to be Stewart. Which is totally unrelated, but I had to throw that out. :P

1. A Piece of the Action, Original Series, season 2. Yes! This is my favorite Star Trek episode EVER, hands down. What could be better than Kirk and Spock landing on a gangster planet, dressing up in suits and fedoras, and out-mobbing the mob? Nothing, as far as Trek is concerned! Or maybe that should be, as far as I'm concerned... Also, Kirk unsuccessfully attempts to drive a stick shift. Assuming that was just for audience giggles, because that was the effect on me! :P I have watched this ep over and over... the only thing missing from it is more Bones! Also, Scotty on the bridge is a plus.


[Also, please ignore the fact that it is technically Monday now. Thanks. :) haha.]