Make it so.
March 23, 2013 3:21 PM Subscribe
Hulu announces every episode of every series of Star Trek is free, until April.
Yesterday was William Shatner's 82nd birthday. Happy birthday, Shatman! (Sorry, no Star Trek: The Animated Series, For ST:TAS, please visit startrek.com).
Yesterday was William Shatner's 82nd birthday. Happy birthday, Shatman! (Sorry, no Star Trek: The Animated Series, For ST:TAS, please visit startrek.com).
I've only ever seen like... 12 episodes of Star Trek. What's a good place to start the series if I wanted to check it out (as in: where does it hit its stride)?
posted by codacorolla at 3:25 PM on March 23, 2013
posted by codacorolla at 3:25 PM on March 23, 2013
!!!!
Goddamnit, and I find myself in Europe without Hulu the whole time.
posted by Blasdelb at 3:27 PM on March 23, 2013
Goddamnit, and I find myself in Europe without Hulu the whole time.
posted by Blasdelb at 3:27 PM on March 23, 2013
The Pirate Bay announces every episode of every series of Star Trek is free, until forever.
posted by dunkadunc at 3:28 PM on March 23, 2013 [40 favorites]
posted by dunkadunc at 3:28 PM on March 23, 2013 [40 favorites]
ST:TAS is also on Netflix, as well as all the other series.
posted by Roger Dodger at 3:30 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Roger Dodger at 3:30 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
Man underemployed snarky old TV recappers are going to have a busy week.
posted by The Whelk at 3:31 PM on March 23, 2013
posted by The Whelk at 3:31 PM on March 23, 2013
[Apologies to those outside the Federation. Your applications are being reviewed in the order they were received.]
posted by steef at 3:34 PM on March 23, 2013 [10 favorites]
posted by steef at 3:34 PM on March 23, 2013 [10 favorites]
TOS must-see episodes:
* City on the Edge of Forever
* The Trouble with Tribbles
* Mirror, Mirror
* Space Seed (for ST:TWOK)
* Where No Man has Gone Before (remastered original pilot)
posted by localroger at 3:39 PM on March 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
* City on the Edge of Forever
* The Trouble with Tribbles
* Mirror, Mirror
* Space Seed (for ST:TWOK)
* Where No Man has Gone Before (remastered original pilot)
posted by localroger at 3:39 PM on March 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
I read that as SULU announces...
posted by pjern at 3:39 PM on March 23, 2013 [8 favorites]
posted by pjern at 3:39 PM on March 23, 2013 [8 favorites]
Things I have learned from Netflix: TAS is really, really poorly made. As with TOS there's some fun adaptations of stories by proper SF writers there though - including on episode that Larry Niven seems to have plonked into his Ringworld universe.
posted by Artw at 3:40 PM on March 23, 2013
posted by Artw at 3:40 PM on March 23, 2013
kuppajava: You mean just like how Hulu has always worked.
codacorolla: The original season is only 3 uneven seasons, but I guess all the greats are in the 1st and 2nd seasons. The writing suffers in its last season.
posted by Therapeutic Amputations at 3:44 PM on March 23, 2013
codacorolla: The original season is only 3 uneven seasons, but I guess all the greats are in the 1st and 2nd seasons. The writing suffers in its last season.
posted by Therapeutic Amputations at 3:44 PM on March 23, 2013
Artw, I had to draw a line somewhere. No silicon-munching aliens either. Just my take. You can always make your own list :-)
posted by localroger at 3:45 PM on March 23, 2013
posted by localroger at 3:45 PM on March 23, 2013
Kinda glad all the remastered DVDs are sitting on the shelf, sadly neglected of late.
I see a trip to the liquor store, coupla bongs, and a favorite episode marathon in my immediate future.
I would like to thank you personally for this, and I understand someone from the Cheetos industry will be along in a moment with a plaque.
posted by timsteil at 3:45 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
I see a trip to the liquor store, coupla bongs, and a favorite episode marathon in my immediate future.
I would like to thank you personally for this, and I understand someone from the Cheetos industry will be along in a moment with a plaque.
posted by timsteil at 3:45 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
kuppajava: "I decided to check it out, "free" means sitting through commercials at every single break, not just one or two at the beginning or after the opening credits. meh."
Gawd, just like TV. In the good old days. Of Star Trek.
posted by chavenet at 3:48 PM on March 23, 2013 [17 favorites]
Gawd, just like TV. In the good old days. Of Star Trek.
posted by chavenet at 3:48 PM on March 23, 2013 [17 favorites]
You mean just like how Hulu has always worked.
Actually, no. The number of ads has increased. You used to get 30 seconds of ad each 'break', now it's 45-120 seconds. My perception is that there were fewer breaks too, but I could be wrong.
(Hulu can't/won't obey your video quality settings for ads. So their 120 seconds of ad stretches to five minutes for me, as I sometimes have to wait several seconds for each second of ad when the program itself plays properly. So I've stopped using Hulu.)
posted by hoyland at 3:53 PM on March 23, 2013
Actually, no. The number of ads has increased. You used to get 30 seconds of ad each 'break', now it's 45-120 seconds. My perception is that there were fewer breaks too, but I could be wrong.
(Hulu can't/won't obey your video quality settings for ads. So their 120 seconds of ad stretches to five minutes for me, as I sometimes have to wait several seconds for each second of ad when the program itself plays properly. So I've stopped using Hulu.)
posted by hoyland at 3:53 PM on March 23, 2013
localroger: "TOS must-see episodes:
* City on the Edge of Forever
* The Trouble with Tribbles
* Mirror, Mirror
* Space Seed (for ST:TWOK)
* Where No Man has Gone Before (remastered original pilot)"
Pretty much the same picks as Portland's Trek in the Park.
posted by idiopath at 3:54 PM on March 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
* City on the Edge of Forever
* The Trouble with Tribbles
* Mirror, Mirror
* Space Seed (for ST:TWOK)
* Where No Man has Gone Before (remastered original pilot)"
Pretty much the same picks as Portland's Trek in the Park.
posted by idiopath at 3:54 PM on March 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
"Watch every episode from every Star Trek Series for free now through March 31st."
Is there even enough time left until March 31st?
Also, I'm Canadian, so I can't anyway. I wonder if it's worse, legally speaking, to pretend I'm American in order to watch Hulu or to just pirate the episodes outright.
posted by ODiV at 3:56 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Is there even enough time left until March 31st?
Also, I'm Canadian, so I can't anyway. I wonder if it's worse, legally speaking, to pretend I'm American in order to watch Hulu or to just pirate the episodes outright.
posted by ODiV at 3:56 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
I used to subscribe to Hulu, but got tired of the commercials. It also chapped me that I could watch on the web for free, but I had to pay to stream content to my iPad or TV and I still got commercials? I decided the world will be a better place without Hulu in it. Once NBC and ABC came out with apps (and now CBS?) I really questioned the idea of paying for commercials. I can just watch the shows on the apps.
posted by cjorgensen at 3:58 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by cjorgensen at 3:58 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
I guess that's just TOS. Mea Culpa.
posted by Stewriffic at 3:59 PM on March 23, 2013
posted by Stewriffic at 3:59 PM on March 23, 2013
The best first TOS episode is "Devil in the Dark".
posted by BeeDo at 4:00 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by BeeDo at 4:00 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
Actually, no. The number of ads has increased. You used to get 30 seconds of ad each 'break', now it's 45-120 seconds. My perception is that there were fewer breaks too, but I could be wrong.
This change was when I canceled Hulu, too. They also don't maintain consistent audio levels between the commercials and the show. I don't mind paying for content but I'm damned if eight to ten ridiculously loud minutes of commercials for every twenty minutes of show is something I will tolerate.
posted by winna at 4:02 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
This change was when I canceled Hulu, too. They also don't maintain consistent audio levels between the commercials and the show. I don't mind paying for content but I'm damned if eight to ten ridiculously loud minutes of commercials for every twenty minutes of show is something I will tolerate.
posted by winna at 4:02 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
KHAAAN'S List Of Must-See Episodes:
The Doomsday Machine
Devil In The Dark
The Changeling
Mrs. KHAAAN's Recommendations:
The Naked Time
Balance Of Terror
The Conscience Of The King
P.S. Mrs. KHAAAN says to see TAS, especially the episode The Loreli Signal. In that one, Uhura takes control of the Enterprise and shoots a phaser a lot.
I think TAS in general is worth watching. The animation sucks, but the writing is surprisingly good.
posted by KHAAAN! at 4:06 PM on March 23, 2013 [5 favorites]
The Doomsday Machine
Devil In The Dark
The Changeling
Mrs. KHAAAN's Recommendations:
The Naked Time
Balance Of Terror
The Conscience Of The King
P.S. Mrs. KHAAAN says to see TAS, especially the episode The Loreli Signal. In that one, Uhura takes control of the Enterprise and shoots a phaser a lot.
I think TAS in general is worth watching. The animation sucks, but the writing is surprisingly good.
posted by KHAAAN! at 4:06 PM on March 23, 2013 [5 favorites]
The Incomparable podcast recently did a pair of episodes about their favourite and least favourite TOS episodes.
posted by dumbland at 4:11 PM on March 23, 2013
posted by dumbland at 4:11 PM on March 23, 2013
Related: The IRS Star Trek Parody produced by its in-house studio and served as the opening of a training and leadership conference in 2010.
posted by lazaruslong at 4:18 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by lazaruslong at 4:18 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
I totally forgot The Doomsday Machine, which should have made my list.
posted by localroger at 4:20 PM on March 23, 2013
posted by localroger at 4:20 PM on March 23, 2013
As with TOS there's some fun adaptations of stories by proper SF writers there though - including on episode that Larry Niven seems to have plonked into his Ringworld universe.
That's because the episode is a reworking of his 1967 short story "The Soft Weapon". It's part of a pretty fascinating backstory to his Known Space universe, involving a race (the thrintun) with the power of telepathic compulsion and the slave race that rebelled against them.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 4:25 PM on March 23, 2013 [4 favorites]
That's because the episode is a reworking of his 1967 short story "The Soft Weapon". It's part of a pretty fascinating backstory to his Known Space universe, involving a race (the thrintun) with the power of telepathic compulsion and the slave race that rebelled against them.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 4:25 PM on March 23, 2013 [4 favorites]
I wish this was actually until this time in april.
I don't even think you could watch all the episodes of one of the shows in the amount of time left if you had a life and things to do, and possibly not even back to back if you included sleeping.
posted by emptythought at 4:35 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
I don't even think you could watch all the episodes of one of the shows in the amount of time left if you had a life and things to do, and possibly not even back to back if you included sleeping.
posted by emptythought at 4:35 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
ARGH ARGH ARGH I am moving back to the US in July why can't you just be cool until then Hulu dammit
posted by solotoro at 4:48 PM on March 23, 2013
posted by solotoro at 4:48 PM on March 23, 2013
He is not Herbert. We reach.
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 4:55 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 4:55 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Stiff man puttin' my mind in jail.
posted by George_Spiggott at 4:57 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by George_Spiggott at 4:57 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
XBMC has a hulu plugin that allows you to skip commercials. I don't know how it works or if that is legal, so if it isn't, it's not like I tried it.
posted by King Bee at 5:12 PM on March 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by King Bee at 5:12 PM on March 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
I also like
Amok Time
Plato's Stepchildren (US network television's first interracial kiss!)
I, Mudd (One of two episodes in which Uhura gets to be awesome... Mirror Mirror is the other one.)
Gamesters of the Triskelion (weirdly kinky and fun)
And those are just off the top of my head. Probably something of a rorschach test in that...
posted by George_Spiggott at 5:17 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Amok Time
Plato's Stepchildren (US network television's first interracial kiss!)
I, Mudd (One of two episodes in which Uhura gets to be awesome... Mirror Mirror is the other one.)
Gamesters of the Triskelion (weirdly kinky and fun)
And those are just off the top of my head. Probably something of a rorschach test in that...
posted by George_Spiggott at 5:17 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
"Watch every episode from every Star Trek Series for free now through March 31st."
Is there even enough time left until March 31st?
Seven-hundred odd episodes, and the 22 animated episodes were each a half hour, the rest being an hour. I gather Hulu puts commercials in, although perhaps not as many as regular broadcast TV does. Call it six hundred hours. Assuming no time to eat or sleep, and watching them end-to-end, that is just over three and a half weeks.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 5:18 PM on March 23, 2013 [4 favorites]
Is there even enough time left until March 31st?
Seven-hundred odd episodes, and the 22 animated episodes were each a half hour, the rest being an hour. I gather Hulu puts commercials in, although perhaps not as many as regular broadcast TV does. Call it six hundred hours. Assuming no time to eat or sleep, and watching them end-to-end, that is just over three and a half weeks.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 5:18 PM on March 23, 2013 [4 favorites]
Oh, and you have to see Arena, which has the Gorn and is from a story by Fredric Brown.
Conversely, the ones I will stab my own eyes out before watching again:
Elaan of Troyius
Friday's Child
The Lights of Zetar <-- easily the worst by several orders of magnitude. It hurts every part of you to watch.
Also bad, but not kill yourself bad:
And the Children Shall Lead
Turnabout Intruder
And conversely again, the episodes which conventional wisdom says are bad but are actually great:
The Way to Eden
Spock's Brain (Shut up, it is good. You're wrong. I said shut up. You are not morg, you are not eymorg.)
posted by George_Spiggott at 5:29 PM on March 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
Conversely, the ones I will stab my own eyes out before watching again:
Elaan of Troyius
Friday's Child
The Lights of Zetar <-- easily the worst by several orders of magnitude. It hurts every part of you to watch.
Also bad, but not kill yourself bad:
And the Children Shall Lead
Turnabout Intruder
And conversely again, the episodes which conventional wisdom says are bad but are actually great:
The Way to Eden
Spock's Brain (Shut up, it is good. You're wrong. I said shut up. You are not morg, you are not eymorg.)
posted by George_Spiggott at 5:29 PM on March 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
My day-after-Thanksgiving tradition that I started 3 years ago is to watch Space Seed followed by Wrath of Khan. There are some inconsistencies (like Chekov not even being on the Enterprise, yet knowing Khan somehow), but it is one of the great joys in my life. I suggest everyone do this at least once.
posted by King Bee at 5:50 PM on March 23, 2013
posted by King Bee at 5:50 PM on March 23, 2013
Brain and brain! What is brain?!
posted by 1970s Antihero at 5:56 PM on March 23, 2013 [8 favorites]
posted by 1970s Antihero at 5:56 PM on March 23, 2013 [8 favorites]
I get bogged down in a lot of DS9—the Bajoran religious woo woo, and the neverending Dominion stuff—but "The Visitor" is a personal standalone favorite.
posted by steef at 6:06 PM on March 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by steef at 6:06 PM on March 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
I wish I lived in an alternate universe in which the "Assignment: Earth" spinoff was picked up. That would have been awesome. And now that I think about it, just a tad Doctor Who. It never struck me before.
I have just now done some rapid googling and I find that Gary Seven's servo pen and The Doctor's sonic screwdriver appeared almost simultaneously. A:E aired 29 Mar 1968 and the sonic screwdriver first appeared in Fury from the Deep, which aired starting 16 Mar 1968. Much too close together for either to be an imitation of the other.
Fascinating. * raised eyebrow *
posted by George_Spiggott at 6:15 PM on March 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
I have just now done some rapid googling and I find that Gary Seven's servo pen and The Doctor's sonic screwdriver appeared almost simultaneously. A:E aired 29 Mar 1968 and the sonic screwdriver first appeared in Fury from the Deep, which aired starting 16 Mar 1968. Much too close together for either to be an imitation of the other.
Fascinating. * raised eyebrow *
posted by George_Spiggott at 6:15 PM on March 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
I wish Hulu would let you share episodes of "best" episodes that also retain the story arc in a season.
posted by mecran01 at 6:18 PM on March 23, 2013
posted by mecran01 at 6:18 PM on March 23, 2013
I wish there was more classic Who streaming - its always the same few stories.
posted by Artw at 6:29 PM on March 23, 2013
posted by Artw at 6:29 PM on March 23, 2013
Hola Unblocker for various browsers. You still have to watch the commercials, but Hulu will work outside of the US.
posted by Kevin Street at 6:49 PM on March 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Kevin Street at 6:49 PM on March 23, 2013 [3 favorites]
What's a good place to start the series if I wanted to check it out...?
n00bs & pilgrims seeking guidance, rejoice! The unmatched Incomparable Podcast has you covered: http://5by5.tv/incomparable/129
n00bs & pilgrims seeking guidance, rejoice! The unmatched Incomparable Podcast has you covered: http://5by5.tv/incomparable/129
Prescription Salad (Star Trek TOS, part 1)Part 2 is at http://5by5.tv/incomparable/130
February 24, 2013 at 4:30pm • 1 hour 18 minutes
Lay in a course and set your phaser to stun! We discuss our favorite (and least favorite) episodes of the original "Star Trek" series. Was Dr. McCoy promoting vegetarianism? Why did Spock have such a lovely collection of hats? What does Bob Barker have to do with the Guardian of Forever? Join us as we boldly go where so many have gone before. (Part 1 of 2.)
And the Children Shall Lead (Star Trek TOS, part 2)posted by wenestvedt at 6:55 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
March 2, 2013 at 12:45pm • 1 hour 11 minutes
Disconnect the intelligent computer that runs your entire planetary society, because it's time for the second half of our discussion of the original "Star Trek." What do today's kids think of this nearly 50-year-old show? We ponder the gender politics of splitting Captain Kirk (and a little dog in a weird costume) into good and evil halves. And what about the low standards of the Enterprise's Engineering department? Please listen: It will only take 71 of your Earth minutes! (Part 2 of 2.)
So, including both pilots, I need 4,000 odd hours.
And there are 192 hours until April 1.
I sense a problem.
/Also, I have these on DVD, so sod you, Hulu.
posted by Mezentian at 7:03 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
And there are 192 hours until April 1.
I sense a problem.
/Also, I have these on DVD, so sod you, Hulu.
posted by Mezentian at 7:03 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
The Hulu GUI for streaming devices like the Wii is utter garbage. Seriously, spend the $6 over at Netflix and watch this without adds.
posted by Brocktoon at 7:30 PM on March 23, 2013
posted by Brocktoon at 7:30 PM on March 23, 2013
Seven-hundred odd episodes, and the 22 animated episodes were each a half hour, the rest being an hour. I gather Hulu puts commercials in, although perhaps not as many as regular broadcast TV does. Call it six hundred hours. Assuming no time to eat or sleep, and watching them end-to-end, that is just over three and a half weeks.
Thank you, Cmdr Data. Very well then. Mr Worf... onscreen.
Settle in, Number One, we shall be here a very long time.
Oh, and Tuesday will also be Nimoy's 82nd birthday...
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 7:30 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
Thank you, Cmdr Data. Very well then. Mr Worf... onscreen.
Settle in, Number One, we shall be here a very long time.
Oh, and Tuesday will also be Nimoy's 82nd birthday...
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 7:30 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
OK. We can't watch it all the way through. We need, instead, essentialism.
1) Best five TOS
2) Best five TNG
3) Best five DS9
4) Best five - who are we kidding - best two VGR
5) Best two ENT
You can choose your favorite episodes of "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Babylon 5" in place of 4 and 5.
posted by Slap*Happy at 8:18 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
1) Best five TOS
2) Best five TNG
3) Best five DS9
4) Best five - who are we kidding - best two VGR
5) Best two ENT
You can choose your favorite episodes of "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Babylon 5" in place of 4 and 5.
posted by Slap*Happy at 8:18 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
I've only seen a handful of Star Trek episodes (mostly TNG) so I found this list by Entertainment Weekly and I'm right now I'm watching #10 "Chain of Command" (I'm writing this on a commercial break). It's pretty good but there's a belligerent alien race looking to start trouble called the Kardasians or something like that and I find that really funny because of course.
posted by mcmile at 8:33 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by mcmile at 8:33 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
Sample quote: Jean Luc, let's be candid for a moment. The Kardashians aren't going to listen to reason and the Federation isn't going to give in to their demands.
posted by mcmile at 8:47 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by mcmile at 8:47 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
Also, I'm Canadian, so I can't anyway. I wonder if it's worse, legally speaking, to pretend I'm American in order to watch Hulu or to just pirate the episodes outright.
Moral support: a Canadian shanty about anti-American piracy.
3) Best five DS9
If you only see one episode, watch "In the Pale Moonlight." If you only have six minutes, watch this clip.
Consider "The Wire," "The Visitor," "Sacrifice of Angels," "The Die is Cast."
4) best two VGR
"Year of Hell" (two-parter). It's interesting because it is in two episodes what the whole run of Voyager should have been: one ship alone and on the run, falling to bits physically and socially.
It's still not all that good.
2) Best five TNG
"Darmok" is my personal favorite.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 8:49 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
Moral support: a Canadian shanty about anti-American piracy.
3) Best five DS9
If you only see one episode, watch "In the Pale Moonlight." If you only have six minutes, watch this clip.
Consider "The Wire," "The Visitor," "Sacrifice of Angels," "The Die is Cast."
4) best two VGR
"Year of Hell" (two-parter). It's interesting because it is in two episodes what the whole run of Voyager should have been: one ship alone and on the run, falling to bits physically and socially.
It's still not all that good.
2) Best five TNG
"Darmok" is my personal favorite.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 8:49 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
4) Best five - who are we kidding - best two VGR
Year of Hell.
5) Best two ENT
May as well watch In a Mirror, Darkly.
I suppose you could watch These Are the Voyages... if you want to get the complete TNG experience. I wouldn't. And I liked Enterprise more than most.
posted by Mezentian at 8:50 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Year of Hell.
5) Best two ENT
May as well watch In a Mirror, Darkly.
I suppose you could watch These Are the Voyages... if you want to get the complete TNG experience. I wouldn't. And I liked Enterprise more than most.
posted by Mezentian at 8:50 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
For TNG you can skip the first few seasons by watching Shades of Gray.
posted by Mezentian at 8:52 PM on March 23, 2013
posted by Mezentian at 8:52 PM on March 23, 2013
I might consider Mudd's Women and I, Mudd just to see the only time in the series that Kirk faced the same nemesis twice. Khan came back in the movies, and Koloth was intended to be a recurring villain, but William Campbell was not available the next time they needed him.
I think one of the other live-action villains returned in the animated series. Picard had his Q, Sisko had his Dukat, Archer had his Shran, but Kirk had no recurring foil save Mudd (who, now that I think if it, also returns in TAS).
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:56 PM on March 23, 2013
I think one of the other live-action villains returned in the animated series. Picard had his Q, Sisko had his Dukat, Archer had his Shran, but Kirk had no recurring foil save Mudd (who, now that I think if it, also returns in TAS).
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:56 PM on March 23, 2013
Like TOS is some kind of towering beacon of quality over Voyager. There are a lot of great Voyager and Enterprise episodes.
posted by Brocktoon at 9:01 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Brocktoon at 9:01 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
Mad Men season six takes place in 1968, in Manhattan obviously. I would give anything at all to see Gary Seven and Roberta Lincoln walk by in the background at some point. Since they'd have to be played by new actors, they could be identified by wearing the exact clothes and hairstyle and he could be carrying Isis.
Hey, they've already done one absolutely fucking hilarious TOS reference ("The Negron Complex") so you know fhey've got it in them.
posted by George_Spiggott at 9:07 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
Hey, they've already done one absolutely fucking hilarious TOS reference ("The Negron Complex") so you know fhey've got it in them.
posted by George_Spiggott at 9:07 PM on March 23, 2013 [2 favorites]
There are a lot of great Voyager ... episodes.
There are some not awful Voyager episodes. I recall not minding The 37s when it came out.
But the ratio is pretty dire.
posted by Mezentian at 9:08 PM on March 23, 2013
There are some not awful Voyager episodes. I recall not minding The 37s when it came out.
But the ratio is pretty dire.
posted by Mezentian at 9:08 PM on March 23, 2013
Like TOS is some kind of towering beacon of quality over Voyager.
TOS is often terrible but never boring. Voyager is usually boring. However, even Voyager is much better than TNG season 1. Ugh.
I would recommend against anything involving Mudd. How about "The Corbomite Maneuver?"
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 9:10 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
TOS is often terrible but never boring. Voyager is usually boring. However, even Voyager is much better than TNG season 1. Ugh.
I would recommend against anything involving Mudd. How about "The Corbomite Maneuver?"
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 9:10 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Revisiting Star Trek TNG: We'll Always Have Paris
Last week: Tasha Yar dies in one of season one's most memorable episodes. This week: Holo-France. I didn't remember it either.
This is true. Even reading the review I'm blanking. And I am sure this was a DS9 Sisko story.
posted by Mezentian at 9:28 PM on March 23, 2013
Last week: Tasha Yar dies in one of season one's most memorable episodes. This week: Holo-France. I didn't remember it either.
This is true. Even reading the review I'm blanking. And I am sure this was a DS9 Sisko story.
posted by Mezentian at 9:28 PM on March 23, 2013
I'm surprised no one has suggested A Piece of the Action which I really remember enjoying but it is possible that this is because as a younger pterodactyl I was rather, um, fond of Mr. Spock and I really liked him in his gangster suit.
This is back when I was in high school and they showed reruns on TV and my best friend would come over and I'd make Rice Krispies treats in the microwave and he'd tell me they were disgusting. It was awesome.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 9:47 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
This is back when I was in high school and they showed reruns on TV and my best friend would come over and I'd make Rice Krispies treats in the microwave and he'd tell me they were disgusting. It was awesome.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 9:47 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Like TOS is some kind of towering beacon of quality over Voyager. There are a lot of great Voyager and Enterprise episodes.
There are two great Enterprise episodes. They are pretty great though.
posted by Artw at 9:49 PM on March 23, 2013
There are two great Enterprise episodes. They are pretty great though.
posted by Artw at 9:49 PM on March 23, 2013
I started rewatching DS9 recently - you can totally skim the first two seasons, with the exception of the mirror universe episide and the last episide of season 2 where things actually start.
posted by Artw at 10:15 PM on March 23, 2013
posted by Artw at 10:15 PM on March 23, 2013
You're all wrong about there not being at least 5 good Voyager episodes, and while "Year of Hell" is good, it only needs to take up one slot. Five others more-or-less at random:
"Message in a Bottle"
"Living Witness"
"Survival Instinct"
"Virtuoso"
"Blink of an Eye"
"Body and Soul"
OK, six, sue me. It's not a coincidence that they feature the Doctor and/or Seven of Nine.
Also, while the TOS episode "Spock's Brain" does have its flaws, it's nowhere near the worst episode of TOS.
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:34 PM on March 23, 2013
"Message in a Bottle"
"Living Witness"
"Survival Instinct"
"Virtuoso"
"Blink of an Eye"
"Body and Soul"
OK, six, sue me. It's not a coincidence that they feature the Doctor and/or Seven of Nine.
Also, while the TOS episode "Spock's Brain" does have its flaws, it's nowhere near the worst episode of TOS.
posted by Halloween Jack at 10:34 PM on March 23, 2013
I wouldn't stress too much about the Animated Series. The budget was limited to a few backgrounds, blinking, and mouthing words.
posted by Brocktoon at 10:47 PM on March 23, 2013
posted by Brocktoon at 10:47 PM on March 23, 2013
The pilot episode of Enterprise was great. But the series rarely lived up to universe that the pilot laid out. The Temporal Cold War thing was dumb from the start, but the pilot established that there were dissident Suliban and the Suliban sold their souls for the genetic engineering their alien masters gave them. DS9 had some really great episodes exploring that angle with the Jem'Hadar, but Enterprise never bothered to.
Voyager started off as a better show than TNG and DS9. Unlike its two predecessors, Voyager had a solid first two seasons. But like Enterprise, it floundered when it abandoned it's premise.
posted by riruro at 10:55 PM on March 23, 2013
Voyager started off as a better show than TNG and DS9. Unlike its two predecessors, Voyager had a solid first two seasons. But like Enterprise, it floundered when it abandoned it's premise.
posted by riruro at 10:55 PM on March 23, 2013
DS9 had some really great episodes exploring that angle with the Jem'Hadar, but Enterprise never bothered to.
Say what you want, but I thought the Xindi arc did just that. The Xindi Alliance was a great antagonist in ways the Suliban rarely were. Although I did like the Nazi Germany story.
posted by Mezentian at 11:09 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Say what you want, but I thought the Xindi arc did just that. The Xindi Alliance was a great antagonist in ways the Suliban rarely were. Although I did like the Nazi Germany story.
posted by Mezentian at 11:09 PM on March 23, 2013 [1 favorite]
Surely we can we all agree that [your name here]'s subjective preferences are objectively correct.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 11:53 PM on March 23, 2013
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 11:53 PM on March 23, 2013
Whenever someone mentions the Xindi, I'm always reminded of the pop song about them by that group called the Federation, or the Association, or something like that:
"Who's coming here to slaughter our species,
Shooting a death ray seven miles wide?
Whole human race is in some deep feces
Everyone knows it's Xindi"
posted by Nat "King" Cole Porter Wagoner at 12:45 AM on March 24, 2013 [4 favorites]
"Who's coming here to slaughter our species,
Shooting a death ray seven miles wide?
Whole human race is in some deep feces
Everyone knows it's Xindi"
posted by Nat "King" Cole Porter Wagoner at 12:45 AM on March 24, 2013 [4 favorites]
Thanks for this post! Just watched "Space Seed," and loved every minute of it.
posted by InsertNiftyNameHere at 1:13 AM on March 24, 2013
posted by InsertNiftyNameHere at 1:13 AM on March 24, 2013
how can you people do this to me? I am TRYING to watch Blakes 7 (the bestest of the best tv sci-fi) and now I want to watch DS9.
posted by marienbad at 2:04 AM on March 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by marienbad at 2:04 AM on March 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
I wish I lived in an alternate universe in which the "Assignment: Earth" spinoff was picked up.
Oh, Lord yes. So. Much. Teri. Garr.
Apropos of that, there is an actor with the credited name of Gary-7. He actually has a walk-on role in the new movie.
posted by dhartung at 2:46 AM on March 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
Oh, Lord yes. So. Much. Teri. Garr.
Apropos of that, there is an actor with the credited name of Gary-7. He actually has a walk-on role in the new movie.
posted by dhartung at 2:46 AM on March 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
The pilot episode of Enterprise was great. But the series rarely lived up to universe that the pilot laid out. The Temporal Cold War thing was dumb from the start, but the pilot established that there were dissident Suliban and the Suliban sold their souls for the genetic engineering their alien masters gave them. DS9 had some really great episodes exploring that angle with the Jem'Hadar, but Enterprise never bothered to.
The Xindi bullshit was a direct response to the 9/11 attacks. Like so many other things did, Enterprise went off the rails after 9/11/01.
posted by gjc at 2:53 AM on March 24, 2013
The Xindi bullshit was a direct response to the 9/11 attacks. Like so many other things did, Enterprise went off the rails after 9/11/01.
posted by gjc at 2:53 AM on March 24, 2013
Let's not forget the only redeeming episode of DS9: Trials and Tribble-ations. Not just because it was a great throw back to TOS, but because it was technically so well done. The way they interwove the old footage with the new was brilliant.
posted by gjc at 2:57 AM on March 24, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by gjc at 2:57 AM on March 24, 2013 [4 favorites]
In defense of Enterprise, I really like the fourth season because that's the kind of show I wanted - a continuity-heavy show with lots of references to other Trek incarnations and foreshadowing for TOS. But the other three seasons are pretty worthless.
posted by crossoverman at 3:50 AM on March 24, 2013
posted by crossoverman at 3:50 AM on March 24, 2013
Bashir: "Those are Klingons?"
Waitress: "All right. You boys have had enough."
Odo: "Mister Worf?"
Worf: "They are Klingons, and it is a long story."
O'Brien: "What happened? Some kind genetic engineering?"
Bashir: "A viral mutation?"
Worf: "We do not discuss it with outsiders."
posted by Elementary Penguin at 4:21 AM on March 24, 2013 [4 favorites]
Waitress: "All right. You boys have had enough."
Odo: "Mister Worf?"
Worf: "They are Klingons, and it is a long story."
O'Brien: "What happened? Some kind genetic engineering?"
Bashir: "A viral mutation?"
Worf: "We do not discuss it with outsiders."
posted by Elementary Penguin at 4:21 AM on March 24, 2013 [4 favorites]
DS9's "The Visitor," already mentioned, is the single best episode of any TV series I have seen. But I would also like to recommend "Duet" as one of the top episodes of DS9.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 4:35 AM on March 24, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 4:35 AM on March 24, 2013 [3 favorites]
Damn it, Jim -- I'm a doctor, not a TV critic!
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:51 AM on March 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 4:51 AM on March 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
John Byrne published five issues of an Assignment Earth comic book; I don't know if they have been collected into a trade paperback. I thought he did a pretty good job with the characters.
posted by wittgenstein at 5:36 AM on March 24, 2013
posted by wittgenstein at 5:36 AM on March 24, 2013
John Byrne published five issues of an Assignment Earth comic book.
Oh.
My.
God.
Please be '80s Byrne....
In 2008, IDW Publishing launched an Assignment: Earth five-issue comic book series written and drawn by John Byrne. One notable story shows Seven and Roberta's peripheral involvement in the events of a prior episode, "Tomorrow Is Yesterday". The stories show the characters' lives from 1968 up to 1974, and includes an epilog set in 2008 during an annual reunion between Roberta and Isis (in her humanoid guise) at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to honor a character from that story killed in the conflict. The characters appear also in 2010 in issues #3 and #4 of Star Trek: Leonard McCoy Frontier Doctor.
posted by Mezentian at 5:42 AM on March 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
Oh.
My.
God.
Please be '80s Byrne....
In 2008, IDW Publishing launched an Assignment: Earth five-issue comic book series written and drawn by John Byrne. One notable story shows Seven and Roberta's peripheral involvement in the events of a prior episode, "Tomorrow Is Yesterday". The stories show the characters' lives from 1968 up to 1974, and includes an epilog set in 2008 during an annual reunion between Roberta and Isis (in her humanoid guise) at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to honor a character from that story killed in the conflict. The characters appear also in 2010 in issues #3 and #4 of Star Trek: Leonard McCoy Frontier Doctor.
posted by Mezentian at 5:42 AM on March 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
Surely we can we all agree that [your name here]'s subjective preferences are objectively correct.
NEVER!
posted by Artw at 6:06 AM on March 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
NEVER!
posted by Artw at 6:06 AM on March 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
VGR episode "Emanations" was one of the most brilliant things I have ever seen on television.
posted by hippybear at 7:31 AM on March 24, 2013
posted by hippybear at 7:31 AM on March 24, 2013
The Xindi bullshit was a direct response to the 9/11 attacks. Like so many other things did, Enterprise went off the rails after 9/11/01.
Heh. Enterprise premiered on September 25, 2001.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:49 AM on March 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
Heh. Enterprise premiered on September 25, 2001.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:49 AM on March 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
Surely we can we all agree that [your name here]'s subjective preferences are objectively correct.
This would have more credibility coming from a different user.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:58 AM on March 24, 2013
This would have more credibility coming from a different user.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 7:58 AM on March 24, 2013
I know I'm in a very tiny minority here, but DS9 is still my favorite Trek series. In The Pale Moonlight is among the very finest hours of television I've ever seen, and The Visitor is just plain heartbreaking.
posted by deadmessenger at 8:51 AM on March 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by deadmessenger at 8:51 AM on March 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
I know I'm in a very tiny minority here, but DS9 is still my favorite Trek series. In The Pale Moonlight is among the very finest hours of television I've ever seen, and The Visitor is just plain heartbreaking.
I consider myself in that minority as well. Sure, TNG was great and TOS was '60s technicolor sci-fi at it's seminal best, but my heart belongs to DS9.
Asking for a top five of DS9 is problematic, in that the big payoff is watching characters developed over years have awesome, well written arcs over a series of episodes. Sure, I could pick out five favorites, but they don't mean as much by themselves, it's one of those situations where the total ends up greater than the sum of the parts. Trials and Tribblations on paper is awful, it should have been horrible, but they have so much fun with the idea that it works beautifully.
That being said, my favorite episodes usually have a guest star who simply blows the doors off of the wagon. Kurtwood Smith in Year of Hell, Paul Winfield in Darmok, I even liked Joan Collins in The City on the Edge of Forever.
posted by Sphinx at 9:50 AM on March 24, 2013 [3 favorites]
I consider myself in that minority as well. Sure, TNG was great and TOS was '60s technicolor sci-fi at it's seminal best, but my heart belongs to DS9.
Asking for a top five of DS9 is problematic, in that the big payoff is watching characters developed over years have awesome, well written arcs over a series of episodes. Sure, I could pick out five favorites, but they don't mean as much by themselves, it's one of those situations where the total ends up greater than the sum of the parts. Trials and Tribblations on paper is awful, it should have been horrible, but they have so much fun with the idea that it works beautifully.
That being said, my favorite episodes usually have a guest star who simply blows the doors off of the wagon. Kurtwood Smith in Year of Hell, Paul Winfield in Darmok, I even liked Joan Collins in The City on the Edge of Forever.
posted by Sphinx at 9:50 AM on March 24, 2013 [3 favorites]
DS9 is definatly the one with the longest runs of consistently good episodes, and almost entirely lacks deadweight characters whose episodes sucks.
posted by Artw at 10:29 AM on March 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 10:29 AM on March 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
Yeah, TNG is my nostalgic favorite, because, y'know... 80's. But in a completely objective weighting of quality episodes vs not-as-good episodes, DS9 is the top Trek series. They hit the sweet spot early and stayed in it longer than the rest.
posted by Kevin Street at 12:54 PM on March 24, 2013
posted by Kevin Street at 12:54 PM on March 24, 2013
I agree that DS9 is the most consistently good of the series, but some of the acting was just awful on that show. I don't want to name names, but I'm not talking about Nana Visitor, Terry Ferrel, Armin Shimmerman, Colm Meaney or Rene Auberjonois. Most of, the rest! Couldn't, act their way, out, of a paper. Sack!
I also kind of hated the long arcs that Star Trek became more and more enamored with. It's fun to work the long game, but I can't stand it when the plot of one episode is meaningless without having watched nearly all of the previous ones.
posted by gjc at 1:09 PM on March 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
I also kind of hated the long arcs that Star Trek became more and more enamored with. It's fun to work the long game, but I can't stand it when the plot of one episode is meaningless without having watched nearly all of the previous ones.
posted by gjc at 1:09 PM on March 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
But that makes it ideal for watching now.
posted by Artw at 1:11 PM on March 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 1:11 PM on March 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
Awesome thread, people.
FWIW, Amazon Prime has all the ST series except for TAS. We've embarked on a TNG rewatch. I mentioned this in another thread, but on April 25th there is an in-theater Fathom event to promo the release of S3 remastered Blu-ray. They will be screening outtakes from S3 and both parts of the s3-s4 season-ender-opener cliffhanger, "The Best of Both Worlds".
Did anyone confirm upthread that the Hulu freebies include TAS? I have only ever seen a couple episodes of it and am aware of the production-value challenges, but the Alan Dean Foster adaptations of the series episodes are the most successful TV series print adaptations of the franchise and I have always wanted to see how one transumtes base metal to gold.
posted by mwhybark at 5:16 PM on March 24, 2013
FWIW, Amazon Prime has all the ST series except for TAS. We've embarked on a TNG rewatch. I mentioned this in another thread, but on April 25th there is an in-theater Fathom event to promo the release of S3 remastered Blu-ray. They will be screening outtakes from S3 and both parts of the s3-s4 season-ender-opener cliffhanger, "The Best of Both Worlds".
Did anyone confirm upthread that the Hulu freebies include TAS? I have only ever seen a couple episodes of it and am aware of the production-value challenges, but the Alan Dean Foster adaptations of the series episodes are the most successful TV series print adaptations of the franchise and I have always wanted to see how one transumtes base metal to gold.
posted by mwhybark at 5:16 PM on March 24, 2013
Amazon Prime used to have Farscape for free, and now it does not. WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK, PEOPLE?
posted by Artw at 5:17 PM on March 24, 2013
posted by Artw at 5:17 PM on March 24, 2013
FREE BABYLON FIVE
posted by mwhybark at 5:27 PM on March 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by mwhybark at 5:27 PM on March 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
I would actually really like to have a decent essential epsiodes only list for Babylon 5, even if I've cooled considerably on JMS.
posted by Artw at 5:36 PM on March 24, 2013
posted by Artw at 5:36 PM on March 24, 2013
In no particular order:
1) Best five TOS
Mirror, Mirror, Devil In The Dark, City On The Edge Of Forever, Balance Of Terror, The Doomsday Machine.
2) Best five TNG
Yesterday's Enterprise, The Measure Of A Man, Darmok, The Best Of Both Worlds, The Pegasus
3) Best five DS9
This is much more difficult than with the other shows because so much of the best DS9 episodes are serial, especially after The Dominion War starts. That's by far the best plotline, but the only real way to understand the great episodes is to also watch some of the so-so episodes pertaining to the war. I'd use Wikipedia's page about the Dominion War to help choose episodes to watch.
4) Best five - who are we kidding - best two VGR
Voyager is my least favorite of the ST series. Scorpion and Prey are both decent mostly because they deal with an alien race that The Borg cannot assimilate.
5) Best two ENT
Enterprise is underrated, and I've found that a great many people get turned off by the awful intro - the song is terrible, the credits are terrible. But Enterprise, in its best moments, shows Archer, Trip and T'Pol showing a camaraderie and chemistry reminiscent of that between Kirk, Spock and McCoy that made TOS so fun to watch. Oh, and the final episode is one of the worst final shows of any show ever, because the writing is that bad. They kill off a beloved character for no reason.
Broken Bow is necessary because it sets up two of the three main plot lines that run through the series.
The Andorian Incident - Shran is one of the best things about Enterprise.
Stigma
The Expanse/The Xindi
United
posted by eustacescrubb at 6:23 PM on March 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
1) Best five TOS
Mirror, Mirror, Devil In The Dark, City On The Edge Of Forever, Balance Of Terror, The Doomsday Machine.
2) Best five TNG
Yesterday's Enterprise, The Measure Of A Man, Darmok, The Best Of Both Worlds, The Pegasus
3) Best five DS9
This is much more difficult than with the other shows because so much of the best DS9 episodes are serial, especially after The Dominion War starts. That's by far the best plotline, but the only real way to understand the great episodes is to also watch some of the so-so episodes pertaining to the war. I'd use Wikipedia's page about the Dominion War to help choose episodes to watch.
4) Best five - who are we kidding - best two VGR
Voyager is my least favorite of the ST series. Scorpion and Prey are both decent mostly because they deal with an alien race that The Borg cannot assimilate.
5) Best two ENT
Enterprise is underrated, and I've found that a great many people get turned off by the awful intro - the song is terrible, the credits are terrible. But Enterprise, in its best moments, shows Archer, Trip and T'Pol showing a camaraderie and chemistry reminiscent of that between Kirk, Spock and McCoy that made TOS so fun to watch. Oh, and the final episode is one of the worst final shows of any show ever, because the writing is that bad. They kill off a beloved character for no reason.
Broken Bow is necessary because it sets up two of the three main plot lines that run through the series.
The Andorian Incident - Shran is one of the best things about Enterprise.
Stigma
The Expanse/The Xindi
United
posted by eustacescrubb at 6:23 PM on March 24, 2013 [2 favorites]
[...] the awful intro - the song is terrible, the credits are terrible [...] the final episode is one of the worst final shows of any show ever, because the writing is that bad. They kill off a beloved character for no reason.
But apart from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?
Seriously, and forgive the selective quoting there for humorous effect, it comes down to whether someone is prepared to be as surgically forgiving as you are; as opposed to deciding that it doesn't take many turds in the punchbowl before you really don't want any punch, no matter how delicious and wholesome the other ingredients are.
posted by George_Spiggott at 6:54 PM on March 24, 2013
But apart from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?
Seriously, and forgive the selective quoting there for humorous effect, it comes down to whether someone is prepared to be as surgically forgiving as you are; as opposed to deciding that it doesn't take many turds in the punchbowl before you really don't want any punch, no matter how delicious and wholesome the other ingredients are.
posted by George_Spiggott at 6:54 PM on March 24, 2013
Apparently there's a deleted scene from the last Star Trek movie where Archer's dog is brought back from teleport limbo - glad they dropped that, sorry doggy. It does remain the only series that happened in that time of course...
Also IMHO the two episodes that make the entire series worthwhile are the Mirror Universe ones, and they lack the appalling intro music, so yay!
posted by Artw at 7:00 PM on March 24, 2013
Also IMHO the two episodes that make the entire series worthwhile are the Mirror Universe ones, and they lack the appalling intro music, so yay!
posted by Artw at 7:00 PM on March 24, 2013
I heard they fired the guys that came up with the Enterprise theme song idea and Google hired them as subdirectors of strategic development in charge of pissing off devoted consumers.
posted by mwhybark at 9:07 PM on March 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by mwhybark at 9:07 PM on March 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
Of course Firefly has more or less the same level of terribleness for its theme tune and doesn't get half the hate.
posted by Artw at 9:28 PM on March 24, 2013
posted by Artw at 9:28 PM on March 24, 2013
Your less unfavorite cod-folk SF theme song sucks.
posted by George_Spiggott at 9:40 PM on March 24, 2013
posted by George_Spiggott at 9:40 PM on March 24, 2013
Farscape theme is best theme.
posted by The Whelk at 9:43 PM on March 24, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 9:43 PM on March 24, 2013 [4 favorites]
I agree that DS9 is the most consistently good of the series, but some of the acting was just awful on that show. I don't want to name names, but I'm not talking about Nana Visitor, Terry Ferrel, Armin Shimmerman, Colm Meaney or Rene Auberjonois. Most of, the rest! Couldn't, act their way, out, of a paper. Sack!
Terry Farrell has always been charismatic, but it used to be painful to watch her deliver any kind of exposition in the first couple of seasons or so. And there's nothing wrong with Alexander Siddig's acting, it's just that the writers didn't really get a handle on Julian Bashir's character until at least halfway through the show, maybe a bit more, and they didn't really give him a solid character arc until the reveal of His Big Secret (which they thought of only about halfway through writing the episode that it was in). After that, he made up for a lot of lost time.
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:57 PM on March 24, 2013
Terry Farrell has always been charismatic, but it used to be painful to watch her deliver any kind of exposition in the first couple of seasons or so. And there's nothing wrong with Alexander Siddig's acting, it's just that the writers didn't really get a handle on Julian Bashir's character until at least halfway through the show, maybe a bit more, and they didn't really give him a solid character arc until the reveal of His Big Secret (which they thought of only about halfway through writing the episode that it was in). After that, he made up for a lot of lost time.
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:57 PM on March 24, 2013
Farscape theme is best theme.
UFO theme is not only top, it kicked away the ladder behind it.
posted by George_Spiggott at 10:02 PM on March 24, 2013 [3 favorites]
UFO theme is not only top, it kicked away the ladder behind it.
posted by George_Spiggott at 10:02 PM on March 24, 2013 [3 favorites]
Doctor Who, first version of the theme, the end.
posted by Artw at 10:05 PM on March 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Artw at 10:05 PM on March 24, 2013 [1 favorite]
UFO theme is not only top, it kicked away the ladder behind it.
You're very right, but it helps to state it in the correct format:
UFO (1980) theme is (UFO) not only top (1980) , it (SHADO) kicked away (UFO) the (1980) ladder behind (UFO) it.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 10:18 PM on March 24, 2013 [4 favorites]
You're very right, but it helps to state it in the correct format:
UFO (1980) theme is (UFO) not only top (1980) , it (SHADO) kicked away (UFO) the (1980) ladder behind (UFO) it.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 10:18 PM on March 24, 2013 [4 favorites]
Okay, unless you're doing the themes on Tesla coils. Then Doctor Who wins.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 10:24 PM on March 24, 2013
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 10:24 PM on March 24, 2013
A close second (This Episode) is the first season (This Episode) of Space 1999.
posted by George_Spiggott at 10:31 PM on March 24, 2013
posted by George_Spiggott at 10:31 PM on March 24, 2013
I would actually really like to have a decent essential epsiodes only list for Babylon 5, even if I've cooled considerably on JMS.
DUDE.
I have to eat DINNER.
But the essential B5 includes almost all of S2-4.
I don't recall there being a filler episode in there.
You can skip S5 if you want (but you won't want to miss the final two episodes and the Centauri arc) and there are a few S1 episodes you need to see (Midnight On the Firing Line is one, Chrysalis another), but S2-4 are one story.
If pressed, yes, I can ping some Must See episodes, but as stand-alones they lack the emotional lunch of Sheridan's capture, or THAT scene in hyperspace where the camera pans back to show the size and scale of the Vorlon fleet.
I still get shivers.
posted by Mezentian at 4:26 AM on March 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
DUDE.
I have to eat DINNER.
But the essential B5 includes almost all of S2-4.
I don't recall there being a filler episode in there.
You can skip S5 if you want (but you won't want to miss the final two episodes and the Centauri arc) and there are a few S1 episodes you need to see (Midnight On the Firing Line is one, Chrysalis another), but S2-4 are one story.
If pressed, yes, I can ping some Must See episodes, but as stand-alones they lack the emotional lunch of Sheridan's capture, or THAT scene in hyperspace where the camera pans back to show the size and scale of the Vorlon fleet.
I still get shivers.
posted by Mezentian at 4:26 AM on March 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
I'd also add "Far Beyond the Stars" to the list of top episodes of DS9.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 10:55 AM on March 25, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 10:55 AM on March 25, 2013 [2 favorites]
NASA trailer reaches crowdfunding goal, will be shown before 'Star Trek: Into Darkness'
posted by homunculus at 2:21 PM on March 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by homunculus at 2:21 PM on March 31, 2013 [3 favorites]
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